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Based on the analytical framework of the structure-conduct-performance paradigm of the theory of industrial organisation, the paper analyses those economic conditions that determine the degree of competitiveness in the Latvian dairy and milling industry. The analysis is based on information from milk and grain processing enterprises acquired through a survey carried out at the beginning of 1998. It is shown that the development of market conditions and market behaviour in the sectors examined has in general progressed. Privatisation in both sectors has been completed. While in the dairy sector the majority of processing enterprises were privatised as co-operatives, in the milling industry all enterprises have become closed joint-stock companies. Since the legal status of a co-operative has turned out to be quite problematic for enterprise restructuring, more and more dairy enterprises have started to change into joint-stock companies. Competition in the investigated processing sectors can be considered as functioning. However, in the dairy sector tendencies of stronger horizontal concentration can be observed. The majority of enterprises react in quite an active way to the market conditions. Procurement and marketing channels have been diversified, and considerable investments have been undertaken. Further investments, however, are impeded by high interest rates for credits. As for performance, quite a considerable differentiation between the enterprises in the considered branches could be shown. The main problems seen by the processors are the saturation of the domestic Latvian market, the lack of investment funds, the unstable legislation, the absence of any substantial support from the government, and, in the dairy sector, the low quality of the raw milk. ; Der Diskussionsbeitrag analysiert mit Hilfe des Structure-Conduct-Performance Ansatzes der Industrieökonomik die Faktoren, die die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der lettischen Milch- und Mühlenindustrie beeinflussen. Der Untersuchung liegen Informationen zugrunde, die im Rahmen einer Unternehmensbefragung Anfang 1998 gesammelt wurden. Es wird gezeigt, dass bei der Entwicklung marktwirtschaftlicher Rahmenbedingungen und Verhaltensweisen insgesamt beträchtliche Fort-schritte erzielt worden sind. Die Privatisierung ist in beiden Sektoren fast abgeschlossen. Während dabei im Milchsektor die meisten Betriebe als Genossenschaften privatisiert worden sind, haben alle Betriebe der Mühlenindustrie die Rechtsform einer geschlossenen Aktiengesellschaft angenommen. Da sich aber Genossenschaften als problematisch für die Unternehmensumstrukturierung erwiesen haben, sind mehr und mehr Milchverarbeitungsbetriebe dazu übergegangen, sich in Aktien-gesellschaften umzuwandeln. Der Wettbewerb in den untersuchten Sektoren kann als funktionsfähig bezeichnet werden. Allerdings ist in der Milchindustrie eine zunehmende horizontale Konzentration zu beobachten. Die meisten Betriebe reagieren recht aktiv auf die veränderten marktwirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen. Die Beschaffungs- und Absatzkanäle wurden diversifiziert und es wurden beträchtliche Investitionen getätigt. Weitere Investitionen werden jedoch durch hohe Kreditzinsen behindert. Die Analyse der Leistungsfähigkeit zeigt, dass eine erhebliche Differenzierung zwischen den einzelnen Betrieben in den beiden untersuchten Branchen stattgefunden hat. Als Hauptprobleme der Verarbeitungsbetriebe werden die Sättigung des heimischen Marktes, fehlendes Kapital für Investitionen, eine unsichere Rechtslage und eine fehlende substantielle staatliche Unterstützung betrachtet. Für die Milchindustrie ist darüber hinaus die schlechte Qualität der Rohmilch ein großes Problem.

Based on the analytical framework of the structure-conduct-performance paradigm of the theory of industrial organisation, the paper analyses those economic conditions that determine the degree of competitiveness in the Latvian dairy and milling industry. The analysis is based on information from milk and grain processing enterprises acquired through a survey carried out at the beginning of 1998. It is shown that the development of market conditions and market behaviour in the sectors examined has in general progressed. Privatisation in both sectors has been completed. While in the dairy sector the majority of processing enterprises were privatised as co-operatives, in the milling industry all enterprises have become closed joint-stock companies. Since the legal status of a co-operative has turned out to be quite problematic for enterprise restructuring, more and more dairy enterprises have started to change into joint-stock companies. Competition in the investigated processing sectors can be considered as functioning. However, in the dairy sector tendencies of stronger horizontal concentration can be observed. The majority of enterprises react in quite an active way to the market conditions. Procurement and marketing channels have been diversified, and considerable investments have been undertaken. Further investments, however, are impeded by high interest rates for credits. As for performance, quite a considerable differentiation between the enterprises in the considered branches could be shown. The main problems seen by the processors are the saturation of the domestic Latvian market, the lack of investment funds, the unstable legislation, the absence of any substantial support from the government, and, in the dairy sector, the low quality of the raw milk.

The food industry is one of the most important sectors in the Latvian economy. However, due to its close links to agriculture, the structural crisis in the processing sector is the main obstacle to increasing output, productivity and profitability in the entire agricultural sector. Based on the structure-conduct-performance framework developed by the economic theory of industrial organisation, the objective of the present discussion paper is to identify those economic conditions that are giving rise to the low degree of competitiveness in Latvia's food industry. For this purpose, the paper analyses the impact of the macroeconomic environment, the change in demand and input supply conditions, and the privatisation process on the development of the food industry. The analysis shows that, although major progress has been made in macroeconomic stabilisation, privatisation and institution building, the efficiency and performance of this important part of the Latvian agrofood chain are far from perfect. Current problems of the Latvian food industry that result in low profitability are increasing input costs, low labour productivity, low domestic and foreign investment activities and excess capacities. The main causes for these are unfavourable interest rates on bank loans, ineffective corporate governance in privatised firms, and deficiencies in the building and implementation of institutions.

This summary report is based on the outcome of a study carried out by the AGMEMOD Partnership under the management of the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI, in the Netherlands), in cooperation with the Joint Research Centre – Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (JRC-IPTS) to generate projections for the main agricultural commodity markets for each year from 2005 until 2015. The report gives a general overview of the modelling approach, the description and implementation of the baseline, further CAP reform and exchange rate change scenarios. It outlines the main results for the aggregates EU-10, EU-15, EU-25 and EU-27, focusing in particular on the features implemented in this study, and addresses issues that need further attention. Detailed documentation on the AGMEMOD modelling approach, along with the outcome of the study, is published in five reports in the JRC-IPTS technical paper series under the heading "Impact analysis of Common Agricultural Policy reform on the main agricultural commodities".

This report is based on the outcome of a study carried out by the AGMEMOD Partnership under the management of the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI, the Netherlands), in cooperation with the Joint Research Centre – Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (JRC-IPTS) to generate yearly projections for the main agricultural commodity markets from 2005 until 2015. This report describes the modelling techniques used by the AGMEMOD Partnership, with emphasis on new commodities modelled and policy modelling approaches. Detailed documentation on the AGMEMOD modelling approach, along with the outcome of the study, is published in five reports in the JRC-IPTS Scientific and Technical Report Series under the heading "Impact analysis of Common Agricultural Policy reform on the main agricultural commodities"

This report is based on a study carried out by the AGMEMOD Partnership under the management of the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI, in the Netherlands), in cooperation with the Joint Research Centre – Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (JRC-IPTS) to generate projections for the main agricultural commodity markets for each year from 2005 until 2015. The report outlines the results of the baseline projections of agricultural commodity markets, further CAP reform scenario impact analyses and exchange rate change sensitivity analyses for each EU-25 Member State (except Malta and Cyprus). For Bulgaria and Romania enlargement and non-enlargement scenarios are analysed. Detailed documentation on the AGMEMOD modelling approach, along with the outcome of the study, is published in five reports in the JRC-IPTS technical paper series under the heading "Impact analysis of Common Agricultural Policy reform on the main agricultural commodities".