Trade Facilitation for Agro or Food
Products, Work Package 3
Khan Salehin
Trade and Investment Division, ESCAP
Update on 2012 Activities
 Target countries :
–
Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal
 Activities in 2012
–
Online discussion on selection of priority products (WP1)
– Training Workshop on Business Process Analysis (BPA)
and consultation on selection of sectors/products
– Diagnostic Studies (using BPA) on Agro-trade Facilitation
in 5 countries
 Activities resulted in
–
Identification of relevant products for diagnostic study
– Identification of consultants and associates
– Draft BPA study reports
Progress so far…
Diagnostic Studies for Five LDCs in South and Southeast Asia
Bangladesh
Business (Trade) Process Analysis: Export of Jute
Bags to India and Import of Wheat from India
Cambodia
BPA for Export of Maize and Cassava from
Thailand and China
Lao PDR
BPA for Export of Maize to Thailand and Import of
Animal Feed
Myanmar
Export of Mango and rice to China, Import of palm
oil from Malaysia
Nepal
Export of cardamom to India and Import of Rice
from India
Progress so far …
 Organized Training Workshop
on Business Process Analysis
(BPA) for Consultants on 10-11
September, UNCC, Bangkok
despite budget issues
 Study commenced in
September except Myanmar
 Finding a consultant for
Myanmar was difficult
 Resolved through recruiting two
member team, one based in
Myanmar and one external
 First draft reports received from
Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Nepal
 First round of comments
provided to Lao PDR and Nepal
Feedback and Lessons
 The ‘as-is’ processes or bottlenecks are visible in draft
reports. For example:
–
multiple visits by various agencies to check demand of
animal feed at the farm in Lao PDR
– Fifteen types of documents are required to export
cardamom from Nepal to India
 Recommendations or the TF measures need to come
out strongly
–
Short, Medium or Long term
 Engagement with Local Associates takes time. So start
early to engage more
Workplan for 2013
Milestone – Recommendations for Trade Facilitation Measures
Identified
• National Stakeholder Consultation Meeting for Agro-trade
Facilitation
•
Vientiane, Lao PDR on 28 February with ERIT
•
Kathmandu, Nepal on 11/13 March with Ministry of
Commerce and Supplies
•
Dhaka on 14/15 March with Bangladesh Tariff Commission
•
Phnom Penh on 28 March (tentative) with Supreme National
Economic Council
•
Yangon, Myanmar, 4 April (tentative) with Ministry of
Commerce
 Technical Training on Traceability in India (tentative) in
June/July (WP4)
THANK YOU!