Many academics and politicians believe that the less developed countries of the Third World will benefit little from international trade as long as their exports consist of primary commodities only. They fear that an export orientation strategy will strengthen or re-establish the ‘colonial pattern’ of exports. This article examines this dilemma, arguing that it is often the exporter, not the government, who is crucial in shaping (and preserving) the export structure of a country. The author shows that a general export orientation strategy in tropical Africa may indeed put the clock back, but that a differentiated strategy may break new ground. In his analysis, he makes a distinction between so-called half-channel crops, trans-oceanic export crops for which a well-organized global market exists (usually called commodities), and entire-channel crops, trans-oceanic export crops for which no well-organized global market exists (minor crops and perishables). Because exporters have a pronounced preference for commodities, African countries usually gravitate towards a portfolio consisting of commodities. The evidence suggests that a policy of export orientation does not necessarily mean a return to the colonial past, provided attention is paid to the entire-channel crops. Notes, ref.
