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Confident India to negotiate agri issues at Doha

A number of Indian agriculture related concerns have been addressed in the draft declaration of the WTO ministerial meet in Qatar and negotiations will be from a position of strength though a lot will depend on the course they take on the subject.

While India has expressed reservations over inclusion of issues like competition and investment in the WTO framework, agriculture is one subject on which the draft declaration is in line with India's demands, official sources said in New Delhi.

"India is going to negotiate from a strong position on agriculture related issues since the draft agrees to a special and differential treatment for the developing countries and speaks of food security which is the focal point of the Indian proposals," they said.

US concerns over greater market access from the European Union for agro-products ensured that many of the related issues of Indian interest were also addressed.

They, however, cautioned that the direction in which negotiations eventually moved would decide how much the country gained in agriculture related matters.

The draft commits member countries to comprehensive negotiations aimed at phasing out all forms of export subsidies, substantial reduction in trade-distorting domestic support which were alarmingly high in developed countries.

SAD for developing countries will be embodied in the schedules of concessions and commitments, and rules and disciplines being negotiated in Qatar.

This would make them operationally effective and enable countries like India to account for their development needs, food security and rural development.

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