Kamal Nath promises to protect local farmers’ interest at WTO
Union commerce & industry minister Kamal Nath has pledged that India will not compromise the interests of its farmers while working out any agreement at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Union commerce & industry minister Kamal Nath has pledged that India will not compromise the interests of its farmers while working out any agreement at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
“We will not go beyond a point to open up our market for agriculture products unless developed countries agree to dismantling of subsidies,” he said while addressing a stakeholder consultation workshop jointly organised by Unctad and the department of commerce in the Capital on Wednesday.
“Farm trade has to be made fair to all before insisting on free trade,” Mr Nath said. In his first remark after returning from the WTO mini-ministerial at Dalian in China, he said: “There are certain laxman rekhas beyond which India will not go in the ongoing negotiations on agriculture in the WTO Doha round to protect the interests and livelihood concerns of poor Indian farmers.”
Developed countries were erecting non-tariff barriers to deny market access to developing nations especially in agriculture, the minister said. There could be no ’trade-off’ between agriculture, industrial tariffs and services, he added. Despite some positive outcome at the Dalian mini-ministerial, apprehensions among many countries remain as to how far and in what manner the rules of agriculture be more equitable and supportive of development, he said.
The malaise of high distortions and protectionist barriers that characterise the global agriculture situation continues unabated, Mr Nath said, but expressed confidence that differences would be narrowed down in a week’s time. Unctad’s two-day workshop was attended by a large number of stakeholders.
“We will not go beyond a point to open up our market for agriculture products unless developed countries agree to dismantling of subsidies,” he said while addressing a stakeholder consultation workshop jointly organised by Unctad and the department of commerce in the Capital on Wednesday.
“Farm trade has to be made fair to all before insisting on free trade,” Mr Nath said. In his first remark after returning from the WTO mini-ministerial at Dalian in China, he said: “There are certain laxman rekhas beyond which India will not go in the ongoing negotiations on agriculture in the WTO Doha round to protect the interests and livelihood concerns of poor Indian farmers.”
Developed countries were erecting non-tariff barriers to deny market access to developing nations especially in agriculture, the minister said. There could be no ’trade-off’ between agriculture, industrial tariffs and services, he added. Despite some positive outcome at the Dalian mini-ministerial, apprehensions among many countries remain as to how far and in what manner the rules of agriculture be more equitable and supportive of development, he said.
The malaise of high distortions and protectionist barriers that characterise the global agriculture situation continues unabated, Mr Nath said, but expressed confidence that differences would be narrowed down in a week’s time. Unctad’s two-day workshop was attended by a large number of stakeholders.
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