Consensus eludes WTO on major agriculture issues; India protests checks on farm export subsidies

Nairobi: Any consensus was elusive at the WTO on Friday night on major agriculture-related issues as India lodged a strong protest against any move to eliminate farm export subsidies without safeguarding the interest of developing nations.

The disagreement of the developing nations' bloc, led by India and China, with the views of the rich nations including the US posed the risk of the four-day meeting of the WTO trade ministers getting extending at least by a day as the emerging nations pushed for a conclusion of the Doha agenda hanging in balance for almost 14 years.

No discussions have started on the important matters of developing countries, including special safeguard mechanism (SSM), public stockholding for food security purposes and reaffirmation of Doha Round, sources said.

India is keeping its "fingers crossed" as the uncertainty continues over the fate of the WTO ministerial meeting.

Although the talks have entered the final stage at the ministerial meeting, which began on Tuesday and was scheduled to conclude on Friday, the developed countries were seen pushing for steps to check the export subsidies.

Indian commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Indian team was working positively in all negotiating track.

"Last night's negotiations continued till 3 AM. India blocking WTO?! Disagree," she tweeted, even as she ruled out any differences between India and Africa over the ongoing WTO talks.

While the host Kenya said that WTO members were working on a draft declaration, the WTO secretariat was busy deciding on a new time for the closing session. The closing session was earlier scheduled to take place at 9.30 PM IST.

Hardening its stand, India has made it clear that there is need to ensure that Indian Farmers and agri interests are safe. Sitharaman said that some countries are pushing their agenda with undue haste.

"A section branding India as blocking the WTO is motivated. 'My national interest important for me' can't be the privy of some countries for others to yield on cherry- picked issues. Engaging positively for a good outcome. Fingers crossed!"," she said in her tweets.

Sources said that Sitharaman was talking with representatives from other developing countries to protect farmers' interest at the ongoing Nairobi meeting.

It was learnt that India was also not impressed with the way talks were happening as these were going on only between five countries - India, the US, EU, China and Brazil.

While India is battling to save the Doha round, the US appears to be adamant on burying the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) on farm subsidies at the Nairobi ministerial meeting.

"The progress of talks are slow. India's issues have not yet come up for discussion," they said, adding in the next meeting, India is going to raise the issue of SSM and public stockholding for food security purposes.

Kenyan Trade Minister Amina Mohammed told reporters, "We are discussing and talking... We hope that we will be able to get in the next few hours so that we stick to the time allocated to the conference and do not either stop the clock or prolong time and extend discussions. We are optimistic."

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström in her blog said, "What a week! The air is perpetually full of rumours and speculation about what is possible to achieve here... It's quite improbable that we will finish this conference today, as planned. Many of us have rebooked our flights for the weekend instead."

Backed by several developing countries, India is pitching for finding a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security purposes, a special safeguard mechanism (SSM) tool to protect farmers from sudden surge in imports or drop in global prices and conclusion of the pending agenda of the Doha Round.

On the other hand, developed nations like the US and the EU are pushing for new issues, including government procurement and phasing out farm export subsidies.

Public food stockholding is crucial for India's food security programme.

Amid the continuing deadlock, the blame game has now shifted to social media with topics like #IndiaStandsBehindFarmers trending in response to #IndiaBlocksTrade possibly from developed countries.