This regional project aims to investigate the agricultural value chain of two selected products exported from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to China in the hope of exploring, among other things, key actors, their interactions, benefits, value-added and challenges. The project also plans to map out non-tariff measures (NTMs) introduced by Mekong-Lancang countries, compare them across those countries and examine exporters’/firms’ perspective regarding their effect on exports to China. A series of publication is expected by late this year.

• Taking stocks of non-tariff measures applied on cross-border movement of agricultural commodities with the GMS;
• Identifying bottlenecks to agricultural trade and understanding complex relationship between actors in whole value chains;
• Providing targeted policy recommendations for improving important weaknesses in each country’s agricultural value chain;
• Enhancing partnerships and cooperation among the GMS research institutions, encouraging information sharing on agricultural development issues and building the capacity of researchers within the institutions involved in the project.