Tracing agrochemical production networks in Southeast Asia: challenges to access, interpretation and comparisons

Keywords: agrochemicals, chemical geographies, global production networks, Southeast Asia
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 02:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 03:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 57

Abstract

Agrochemical production has become increasingly fragmented in the past decade, shifting sites from North America and Europe to countries in Asia such as China, India and Malaysia. Several factors explain these shifts including the expiration of patents on proprietary active ingredients, increasing bans on hazardous chemicals, and rising labor prices in developing and middle-income nations. One avenue for deeper explanation and understanding of these phenomena is through the global production network (GPN) framework. New tools, such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) trade in value-added (TiVA) database, provide data to assist in analyzing the spatial distribution of production and value-added processes in a variety of industries worldwide. In addition to newer databases, national statistical databases and global organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) amass data on the production and use of agrochemicals. However, many obstacles still remain for researchers and policy makers trying to shed light on production and usage. Therefore, this paper looks at a specific hot spot for agrochemical production and usage in Southeast Asia, Malaysia, to explain these challenges.
Malaysia appears in the top ten exporters by volume globally for herbicides, yet little is known or published on the intricacies of the networks that exist. By using the GPN framework and assessing the applications of the TiVA database, I highlight the methodological strengths and weaknesses of the database and the implications for understanding the agrochemical production networks (APNs) as they change, shift and exist today.