Abstract
Countries need an in-depth understanding of their comparative advantage for gaining benefits from the international trade. Historically, Pakistan is a trade deficit country and its exports are mainly agro-based. This study applies Balassa’s index of revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and its extensions to analyze the export competitiveness of major fruits and vegetables of Pakistan for the period 2001-2018. Results indicated that mangoes, citrus and dates had revealed comparative advantage. The estimated results of various RCA indices for onions and potatoes showed both revealed comparative advantage as well as disadvantage. The existence of comparative advantage highlights a considerable export potential of fruits and vegetables of Pakistan. Tapping this potential can significantly contribute in enhancing exports and foreign exchange earnings, generating employment opportunities and reducing trade deficit of the country. To increase export competitiveness of fruits and vegetables, the study suggests investment in research and development for finding out new ways for improvements in yield, quality and management of post-harvest losses. Value chain and infrastructural development is also needed to increase the export competitiveness of fruits and vegetables of Pakistan.
Burhan Ahmad1,*, Misbah Anwar1 , Hammad Badar1 , Mubashir Mehdi 1 and Farooq Tanwir 2. (2021) ANALYZING EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS OF MAJOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES OF PAKISTAN: AN APPLICATION OF REVEALED COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE INDICES, Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Volume 58, Issue 2.
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