Since the early 1980s different developing countries have exhibited wide disparities in terms of growth rates. Along with China, East Asia's newly industrializing countries (NICs) — South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore — experienced an average GDP growth rate of 9% during the period between 1980 and 1991. On the other hand, Sub-Saharan Africa's developing countries achieved only 2.1% growth yearly while per capita real product also declined by more than 20%. Individual countries in these regions also exhibited significant growth rate disparities as other developing areas fell between the two...

Since the early 1980s different developing countries have exhibited wide disparities in terms of growth rates. Along with China, East Asia's newly industrializing countries (NICs) — South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore — experienced an average GDP growth rate of 9% during the period between 1980 and 1991. On the other hand, Sub-Saharan Africa's developing countries achieved only 2.1% growth yearly while per capita real product also declined by more than 20%. Individual countries in these regions also exhibited significant growth rate disparities as other developing areas fell between the two extremes. These growth rates were influenced by a country's economic and trade policies, their trading partners's policies and growth rates, and foreign exchange for purchasing imports. This chapter provides a general review of developing countries that export tropical beverage crops such as coffee, tea, and cocoa.