Ficci calls for reduction of farm subsidies at WTO

These demands come at a time when trade ministers from more than 30 countries are discussing ways to seal the Doha Round of World trade talks in Geneva. India is being represented by commerce secretary Gopal K. Pillai on the first two days of the talks, which started on July, 21. Commerce Minister Kamal Nath is expected to join the talks on July 23, as he has to be present in the Parliament to participate in the vote of confidence of the UPA government.

The industry body's latest demand is in sync with concerns of Indian negotiators at WTO, who feel that developed countries like United States are still doling out subsidies worth billions of dollars, even after 14 years of conclusion of the Uruguay Round of world trade talks.

"Issues like significant reduction in trade-distorting domestic support, tariff capping for developed countries and tariff simplification need to be adequately addressed in the Doha agriculture negotiations currently under progress in Geneva. The latest text provides for special carve-outs for developed countries in case of tariff caps, sensitive products and domestic support that would only perpetuate the distortions in global farm trade," said Ficci secretary general Amit Mitra in a statement released here.

The developing countries, under the G-20 bloc have been demanding reduction of farm subsidies by countries like United States. The latest agriculture draft proposes to limit farm subsidies by developed nations in the range between $ 13 - 16.4 billion.