WTO MC13: India Calls For Permanent Solution To Public Food Stockpiles At Abu Dhabi Meeting

Trade ministers from 164 WTO member nations convened in Abu Dhabi for the 13th ministerial conference, seeking resolutions to various trade-related challenges.

In a significant address at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal reiterated India's call for a permanent solution to the longstanding issue of public food stockpiles. The issue, Goyal emphasised, is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030.

"This continues to be a long-pending issue for the last few decades... finding a permanent solution on PSH remains an unaccomplished agenda on which we have to deliver in MC13," said Minister Goyal, as reported by PTI.

Trade ministers from 164 WTO member nations convened in Abu Dhabi for the 13th ministerial conference, seeking resolutions to various trade-related challenges. Among these, the issue of public stockholding (PSH) for food security purposes remains unresolved. India has been at the forefront, advocating for amendments to the formula governing food subsidy caps, PTI's report stated.

Under current global trade norms, a WTO member country's food subsidy bill should not exceed 10 per cent of the value of production, based on a reference price set in 1986-88. India has consistently sought adjustments to this formula, considering its implications for domestic food security initiatives.

Peace Clause And The Path Forward For WTO

Recognising the urgency of the matter, WTO members had previously agreed on an interim mechanism known as the Peace Clause, which shields developing nations from challenges regarding breach of prescribed subsidy limits. However, the quest for a permanent solution remains paramount.

"I am confident that with the collective efforts of all of us, MC13 will engage constructively to give an outcome on the long pending mandated issue of permanent solution on PSH for food security," Minister Goyal remarked, as quoted by the report.

Minister Goyal also highlighted the significance of sustainable fishing practices, particularly in addressing hunger and poverty among traditional fishers in India. He stressed the necessity of a global consensus on harnessing fishing resources sustainably, underscoring India's interests in the process.

Furthermore, Goyal called for inclusive discussions on WTO reforms, advocating for consensus-based decision-making and special and differential treatment for emerging economies.

"India firmly believes that any measures taken to combat climate change... should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade," he asserted, as per PTI.

Minister Goyal's comprehensive statement, reflecting India's stance on critical trade and development issues, was published on the WTO website, reaffirming the country's commitment to global dialogue and cooperation.