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Abstract
Excerpts from the Introduction: Regional integration involves elimination of trade barriers and coordination of investment and has long been recognized by Latin Americans as a means of benefiting from an expanded market, economies of scale, specialization, and optimum location considerations. This is an evaluation of the fertilizer industry as a sector of the economy of Latin America which might offer a promising route to regional economic integration. Sectoral integration--that is, placing emphasis on integration of a single sector (such as the fertilizer industry) makes it possible to concentrate on a limited objective and gradually expand the area of economic cooperation. As interest increases in achieving regional economic integration in Latin America, increased consideration is being given to the sectoral approach and to the fertilizer industry as a possible starting point for full integration. Integrating this sector could contribute simultaneously to the improvement of agriculture, to industrialization of the continent, and, finally, to the development of patterns of regional cooperation which could lead to more comprehensive economic integration.