3.2 Market analysis
The market analysis was based on the approach of AAKER (2005, pp. 78). The purpose of a market
analysis is to determine the structure and attractiveness of a market as well as to understand
its processes and dynamics. As its scope depends on the available data, this study was limited to
the observable factors. These comprised trade flows, prices, infrastructural conditions and market
trends. The analysis included structure and size of the market, distribution systems, cost
structure and market trends, using the examples of the case study regions (AAKER, 2005, pp. 79).
Information for the determination of the market size and on trade flows was sourced from government
data and associations. The data on Brazilian supply and demand were achieved from
ABIOVE while for world market development of soybean production, consumption and trade, the
USDA database PSD ONLINE was consulted. The data refer to the individual local marketing years
of the respective countries1
. Data on Brazil differed between PSD ONLINE and ABIOVE, which AMARAL
(2012) explained by different approaches for data collection. USDA PSD ONLINE data have
been used for international comparisons. The data from ABIOVE were used for the national market