-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Even as commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma sought to push an interim solution or a "Peace Clause" that will prevent WTO members from seeking penalties from countries such as India for breach of subsidy cap, the Opposition parties and farmer groups have asked the government to reject the solution, arguing that it is not in the country's interests. At next week's Bali ministerial meeting,...
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WTO's post-Bali plan may be govt's worry-Sidhartha
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: With the general elections just four months away and rollout of UPA's flagship Food Security Act at stake, commerce minister Anand Sharma is facing a challenge that few of his eight predecessors who attended WTO ministerial meetings have faced. Already, there is a demand to block a compromise formula or a "Peace Clause" that will prevent any WTO member from seeking penalties against a developing country...
More »A pound of flesh to feed the poor-Arun Mohan Sukumar
-The Hindu Realising that New Delhi needs to clear its food security legislation at the WTO in time for the election, the West has sought increased market access in return for temporary relief A few months ago, the most optimistic observers of international politics were not willing to hedge their bets on the Doha Development Round at the World Trade Organisation. The Doha Round negotiations have been stalled for more than a...
More »The WTO is destroying Indian farming -Devinder Sharma
-The Hindustan Times The double standards are clear. In 2012, the US provided $100 billion for domestic food aid, up from the $95 billion it spent on feeding its 67 million undernourished population in 2010 including spending on food coupons and other supplementary nutrition programmes. In India, the Food Bill is expected to cost $20 billion and will feed an estimated 850 million people. Against an average supply of 358kg/person of...
More »Food subsidy issues need to be addressed: WTO
-The Hindu Concern over procurement and distribution of subsidised foodgrains Asserting that India would soon be breaching its Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) commitments to WTO (World Trade Organization) due to its new food security programme, the newly-elected Director-General, Roberto Azevedo, on Monday, sought a positive solution to the issue before the Bali Ministerial to be held in December as some countries had expressed concern over the procurement and distribution of highly...
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