The development of the tradeable sector is a permanent concern for policy makers in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. The weak performance of the tradeable sector has been cited as one of the causes of mixed growth performance in South America during the 1990s as crises in the region have been associated with a pronounced imbalance of the contributions of the tradeable and the non-tradeable sectors to growth.

This book contributes to the understanding of the market mechanisms and policy interactions that support the strengthening and diversification of the tradeable sector in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. It focuses on the role of exchange rate regimes, market imperfections and trade policy. Moreover, it analyses the agro-food sector, one of the pillars of the tradeable sector in the region, and the role of foreign direct investment and competition policy. Overall it provides an integrated and original policy perspective on the factors underlying international competitiveness.