WTO Talks To Resume ? + Bilateral Trade

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In This NEWS Bulletin ************************************** 1. Former India Ambassador To GATT, BL Das expects WTO Talks Would Resume In September. He Says US May Offer Cut In Farm Subsidies 2. India Set To Be Largest Wheat Importer - US Wants A Share Of The Pie As The Country Imports 8.5 Million Tonne, This Year 3. New Fumigation Norms With Aussies From Today 4. Pak Bans Chilled Buffalo Meat From India 5. Pawar To Inaugurate FAO Aquaculture Meet On Sept 4 US may cut farm subsidies, says Das http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=138817 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 0000

hours IST NEW DELHI, AUG 29: Many believe that the current deadlock in WTO negotiations is difficult to break at least in this year. But the former Indian ambassador to GATT, Bhagirath Lal Das holds a diametrically opposite view. He says the WTO negoiations are likely to resume in September and conclude in time to enable the US fast track authority to approve of the decision before June 2007. According to Das, the US which had earlier agreed to reduce its total trade-distorting support (TDS) in agriculture to the level of $23 billion, may now agree to $19 billion level, close to the expectations of G-20. The EU too had offered to cut its average farm tariff by 51%. Against this, the developing countries may agree to a cut in industrial tariff on basis of the co-efficiency of 25 as against the co-efficient of 15 as demanded by the developed countries. "There are hopes that if talks resume in

September and these 3 issues are settled, a complete agreement on modalities in agriculture and NAMA can be reached by November end. Other substantive issues can be discussed concurrently till November and later taken up after the winter recess in mid-February 2007," said Das. Ready for harvest • WTO negotiations are likely to resume in September• This will conclude in time to enable the US fast track authority to approve of the decision before June 2007• US may now agree to $19 billion level, close to the expectations of G-20 Keeping in view the impending polls in the US and France, Das said "it is politically possible and feasable. US and EU have within their grip some significant concessions from the developing countries that they would not like to slip away." He said France had earlier opposed a cut in average European farm tariff beyond 39%. But France was no longer an important

factor in the EU. Now Germany has a greater say and the EU can possibly agree to an average farm tariff cut by 51%. Das, however, cautioned that the proposed cut in domestic farm subsidy would not expand developing countries market access in the US and the EU. The US would increase its decoupled income support, insurance against income loss and investment aid to farmers under Green Box. The EU too would increase its investment aid. There may be concentration of TDS on a limited number of products and the total TDS aven at their reduced levels in the US and the EU can be highly injurious to developing countries.--- India set to be largest wheat importer US wants a share of the pie as the country imports 8.5 mt this year http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=139012 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Friday, September 01, 2006 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, AUG 31: The country is likely to emerge as the largest wheat importer, this year, if the government’s import plans work out as per schedule. India, which was the seventh largest exporter of wheat a few years ago, will import more than 8.5 million tonne (mt) wheat, this year. Since not a single grain of wheat from US could be imported so far despite relaxed quality norms, US ambassador in India David Mulford is likely to meet agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in this connection, sources said. The government has planned to import 5.5 mt against zero duty on its own account. It has allowed coporates and

MNCs to import 3 mt wheat against a reduced duty of 5%. Thus, under the liberalised import plan, a total of 8.5 mt wheat are likely to be imported in 2006-07. This would make India the largest importer of wheat in the current year. According to an USDA report, Egypt would rank second with a possible import of 7.2 mt, followed by Brazil with a likely import of 6.8 mt So far the government, through State Trading Corporation of India, has contracted an import of 3.8 mt wheat. Fresh tenders are floated for import of another 1.67 mt wheat. As against the target for import of 3 mt wheat, the private sector could so far import only 500,000 tonne wheat. A GRAIN OF TRUTH • Private wheat imports currently attract a duty of 5%• In June, duty was cut from 50% to 5% to curb spiralling prices • The government is importing 5.5 mt of the grain at zero duty• Egypt would be the rank second largest importer with

a possible import of 7.2 mt • Farmers estimate output at 73 mt against a demand of 60 mt The private sector, particularly the corporates and MNCs, has demanded that the import duty be further reduced from 5% to zero to enable it to import adequate quantity of wheat. The private players have pointed out that the government is importing wheat on its own account against zero duty. The government is actively considering this demand made by the corporates and MNCs. A leading farmers’ organisation Bharat Krishak Samaj had riticised the government for importing wheat and liberalising its imports when year’s production was to the tune of 73 mt against a consumption demand of only 60 mt. The government later scaled down its wheat output estimate to 69.48 mt and the farmers criticised it as “deliberate manipulation in the data”. The Delhi-based NGOs has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court challenging government’s

policies.------------ New fumigation norms with Aussies from today http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=139019 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Friday, September 01, 2006 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, AUG 31: India and Australia have decided to jointly launch new fumigation norms, which may lead to removal of certain hassles relating to export of goods. Australia has a stringent fumigation norm under the Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS), Australian High Commissioner to India John McCarthy said and added that the India-Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (India-AFAS) will be in operation from September 1, 2006. The scheme, a

collaborative effort between the Union agriculture ministry and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), includes training to fumigators so as to provide effective fumigation of goods such as timber products and pallets, to meet Australia’s stringent quarantine requirements. India expects that once India-AFAS fumigators have demonstrated their competence by meeting Australian fumigation standards, enhanced trade opportunities will emerge in other markets where AFAS is operating or being introduced such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China and the Philippines.------- Pak bans meat import from india http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=138954 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Thursday,

August 31, 2006 at 0239 hours IST NEW DELHI, AUG 30: Pakistan has slapped a ban on imports of chilled buffalo meat from India, terming it as “harmful” for human consumption. India has been exporting chilled buffalo meat to Pakistan in low volumes (about 30 tonne per day) at $1,000 a tonne since the last eight months. But in the last three months the exports gained momentum to about 50 tonne per day. Exports of chilled buffalo meat was expected to increase in view the upcoming Ramzan. There was a growing demand for Indian chilled buffalo meat in Pakistan before the ban as it was cheaper than the frozen meat. Chilled buffalo meat was exported at $1,000 a tonne and was available in retail markets in Pakistan at Rs 70 per kg. The price of frozen buffalo meat in Delhi is around Rs 95 to Rs 100 a kg. However, the Pakistan government while imposing the ban said,

chilled baffalo meat becomes unfit for human consumption after 48 hours of slaughter. It loses its shape and colour and fungus appears on the outer skin of the meat. The Pakistan government feels that frozen buffallo meat is comparatively safer than chilled meat.-------------------------------- Pawar to inaugurate FAO aquaculture meet on Sept 4 http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=139062 ASHOK B SHARMA ECONOMY BUREAU Posted online: Friday, September 01, 2006 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, AUG 31: The 3rd session of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) aquaculture panel is to be held in New Delhi and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is slated to inaugurate the 5-day session on

September 4. The FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) is the only inter-governmental forum where major fisheries and aquaculture problems and issues are discussed and recommendations made to nati-onal governments, regional fisheries bodies, NGOs and fish workers. Established in 1965 as a subsidiary body of the FAO Council, COFI has been used as a forum in which global agreements and non-binding instruments are negotiated. The sub-committee on aquaculture was established by COFI at its 24th session held in 2001 and India, was one of the countries, which strongly advocated constitution of this sub-committee. The sub-committee discusses major issues and trends in global aquaculture development with a view to formulate action for increasing sustainable contribution of aquaculture to food security, economic development and poverty alleviation. The panel will also suggest international action to address the developmental needs of aquaculture involving interested organisations and partners. Further, the panel will recommend measures for strengthening international collaboration to assist developing countries in the implementation of the ‘Code of Conduct For Responsible Fisheries’, tender advise on the preparation of technical reviews and on issues of international significance.--------------------

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