Transformation of the Structure of the Cross-Border Agri-Food Value Chain

The agri-food sector has changed significantly over the past few decades. As in many other industries, the production and trade of agricultural products are becoming more complex and branched across different countries, attracting more and more participants and resources. The development of the agri-food chain makes it possible to transfer various stages of production to different countries, where agricultural raw materials will be used for processing and production of other goods or products. Global agri-food chains account for about a third of the world’s exports of food and agricultural products. This research aims to consider international trade in agricultural products within the agri-food chain and the transformation of individual links in the chain and the various reasons for their transformation. As a result of the study, the authors came to several conclusions. The transformation of the agri-food chain is most evident in the structural changes in logistics and the retail sector. Changes in the lifestyle and diet of consumers subsequently led to an increase in trade in processed end products and the development of product quality standards. The change and separation of the place of production and consumption, as well as the penetration of digital technologies and services, subsequently led to a change in the ways of trade within the chain and made markets more transparent and efficient. Several changes in contractual arrangements reduced the number of intermediaries and simplified access to the market for small farmers. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.