INDIA: India's commerce minister, Anand Sharma, says there will be no compromise on its food subsidy programme at a WTO ministerial meeting but left open the possibility for an interim deal

Record ID: 1376939

  • Title: INDIA: India's commerce minister, Anand Sharma, says there will be no compromise on its food subsidy programme at a WTO ministerial meeting but left open the possibility for an interim deal
  • Date: 29th November 2013
  • Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (NOVEMBER 29, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) VARIOUS OF INDIAN COMMERCE MINISTER, ANAND SHARMA, AND OFFICIALS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN COMMERCE MINISTER, ANAND SHARMA, SAYING: "As far as what we give to our poor people, that is our right. That is insulated in entirety from any multilateral negotiations or WTO negotiations. That is a sovereign space, and for India it is sacrosanct and non-negotiable." REPORTERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN COMMERCE MINISTER, ANAND SHARMA, SAYING: "Public procurement, using public funds and stocks so secured, can't be released for global trade." JOURNALIST SHARMA AND OFFICIALS DURING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 14th December 2013 21:03
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADGP7TXP6YTIL9R5MP8TTPDDN3
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: India's commerce minister said on Friday (November 29) that he will not compromise on food subsidies for the poor at a World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting next week, but left open the possibility of an interim subsidy deal designed to salvage a trillion-dollar trade pact.
    The WTO meeting will be held in Bali from December 3.
    India is seen as holding the key to the global trade deal on the agenda for the meeting.
    Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who will lead the delegation to Indonesia, said the G33 group of developing countries supported India's stance on its food subsidy programme.
    The south Asian nation will fully implement in 2014 a welfare programme to give cheap food to 800 million people by large-scale stockpiling and procurement at minimum prices. India fears it will contravene WTO rules limited farm subsidies to 10 percent of production.
    Addressing a news conference in New Delhi, Sharma said India remained firm on the food subsidy programme.

    "As far as what we give to our poor people that is our right. That is insulated in entirety from any multilateral negotiations or WTO negotiations. That is a sovereign space, and for India it is sacrosanct and non-negotiable," Sharma said.
    The minister said goods procured through the programme could not be released for global trade.

    "Public procurement, using public funds and stocks so secured, can't be released for global trade," he added.
    Sharma refused to say whether he would accept a proposal led by the United States to waive the 10 percent rule until 2017. Indian media has reported that India is demanding a guarantee that the waiver will continue after that date if a solution is not found.
    The minister was, however, optimistic about the outcome of the Bali talks provided wealthy nations addressed the concerns of developing nations New Delhi has, separately, offered to raise tariff lines for duty free imports from least developing countries.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register