'India will not compromise with food subsidy at WTO'

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma arriving at G-33 meeting ahead of WTO Ministerial in Bali Indonesia on Dec 2.

Top Stories

»	India-Chile FTA ripe for conclusion, Canada talks progressing well: Piyush Goyal
»	Sensex, Nifty end higher in volatile trade; metal and pharma stocks lead gains
»	Govt extends RELIEF scheme for risk coverage of export shipments due to Gulf war
»	Tesla India posts Rs 247 crore revenue in first fiscal of vehicle sales
»	Indian equities extend losses this week as Brent crude oil rises to 6-month high

SME Times News Bureau | 02 Dec, 2013
India Sunday gave a clear signal that it will be firm on the core agenda of food security while pursuing a constructive dialogue at the ministerial conference of World Trade Organization (WTO) at Bali Dec 3-6.

An official release said Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who is leading a 30-member delegation for the ninth ministerial conference of WTO, would unequivocally convey to his interlocutors that India's concerns on food security were non-negotiable.

Sharma is likely to raise the issue of the subsistence farmers of India strongly at the G-33 meeting being convened Monday at Bali ahead of the conference.

The release said Sharma will underscore the need to have a fair and balanced outcome, which addresses the concerns of developing countries adequately, especially so on food security.

"India's public stockholding programme for public distribution system cannot be compromised for minor gains of the developed countries," the release said.

Sharma has indicated that India will be firm on the core agenda of food security, while being persuasive and constructive, it said.

Sharma is also likely to underscore India's commitment for the Least Developed Countries (LDC) agenda where it has taken a unilateral decision for zero duty access covering 96.2 percent of tariff lines.

"India will demonstrate its constructive engagement, as it has unequivocally endorsed three out of the five issues under consideration of the WTO - LDC issues, tariff rate quota and export competition," the release said.

Sharma will pitch for a balanced outcome which addresses India's food security concerns "in spite of the strong head winds in Bali with the developed countries likely to oppose a lasting agreement on food security".