A few years ago, Wageningen Economic Research together with Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) specified which categories of goods fall under the definition of agricultural goods, in accordance with prevailing international classifications. Agricultural goods trade as described in this publication comprises the first 24 categories of goods classified in international trade statististics, plus a number of agricultural goods from other categories based on the Combined Nomenclature system (CN) of the European Commission and the Common Customs Tariff. Agricultural products include unprocessed (primary) agricultural products such as pigs, apples, flowers, flower bulbs and tomatoes as well as processed (secondary) products such as cheese, potato fries, chocolate, beer, tomato ketchup and fruit juices. The categories in the CN determine the classification of various types of agricultural goods.
Agriculture-related (tertiary) goods, such as agricultural machinery or fertilisers, fall outside the basic definition of agricultural exports, but they are described in detail in the publication.
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