Backed by several developing countries, India will strongly pitch for finding a permanent solution to the food security issue at the WTO meeting of 160 trade ministers, beginning in Kenyan Capital of Nairobi tomorrow. During the four-day meet, India will also raise the issue of evolving mechanism to protect poor farmers from surge in imports.
Ahead of the meet, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, she is going with an open mind and positive approach. PTI quoted an Indian official saying, the focus of deliberations will include issues relating to continuance of the Doha negotiating mandate; finding a permanent solution to the issue of public stock holding for food security and special safeguard measures.
The negotiations, launched at the Qatari capital in 2001 and known as the Doha Round, has missed several deadlines for conclusion due to wide differences over the issue of giving protection to poor farmers and the extent to open the markets
for industrial goods.
However, experts are a little apprehensive about the positive outcome from this meeting as the rich nations are keen to abandon old issues and negotiate new matters such as government procurement and investments.