Agri talks a no-go for India at WTO meet without public stockholding solution

The WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) will take place from 26 to 29 February 2024 in Abu Dhabi

India will refuse to discuss issues related to agriculture at the ministerial-level meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in February unless a permanent solution is found on the matter of public stockholding for food security, a government official has said.

According to media reports, in a meeting held on January 16, India asked WTO members to fast-track talks on finding a permanent solution on the matter of public stockholding for food security, but some countries like the US stated that given divergent views on the specific issue, a permanent solution by the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC) would not be possible.

The WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) will take place from February 26 to 29, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Ministers from across the world will attend to review the functioning of the multilateral trading system and to take action on the future work of the WTO. The conference will be chaired by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE's minister of state for foreign trade.

The Indian government official said that some WTO members have raised concerns over the country's Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme on key agricultural products, as well as the recent export restrictions on commodities such as rice, citing that it distorts market prices.

India, in its response, has maintained that they have to protect the interest of the poor and vulnerable farmers, besides taking care of its domestic food security needs.

India, however, is open to discuss these issues, including exports bans, at the WTO ministerial meet, but only if resolving the issue of public stockholding for food security is prioritised. New Delhi is seeking a permanent solution on public stockholding with more enhanced terms, compared to the 2013 Bali peace clause.

The public stockholding programme is a policy tool used by the government to meet food security and safeguard millions of its hunger-stricken population.