ABSTRACT
Hassan Serghini (Morocco) 1 said that he had much enjoyed listening to McCalla and Vaidés as they carefully sifted through the semantics involved in deciding whether 'diversification' can be regarded as a 'policy' or as a market 'response', with particular reference to agricultural trade. It did appear to him, however, that the subject is difficult to discuss in isolation and that much depended on circumstances in specific countries. From his viewpoint, the Maghreb has great advantages of climate, which helps in the production of numerous seasonally differentiated high-value crops which are potentially exportable, but the export opportunities are constrained by the nature of the agricultural policies followed in the European Union, which is the obvious market. The nature of the import restrictions, as well as the manner in which they have changed (or are changing) as a result of the completion of the Uruguay Round, for fruit and vegetables in particular, is extremely complex. It appeared to him that there does have to be a measure of guidance, stemming from the official level, if producers and traders are to be able to benefit from any marketing opportunities which do exist.
