India unlikely to engage on agri issues at key WTO meet

India will not engage in any discussions on agricultural issues at the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) unless members first find a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding, the core of country's public procurement system, which ensures the food security of 800 million poor people and guarantees minimum support price (MSP) to 95.3 million subsistence -level farmers, two officials aware of the country's position said.

- Rajeev Jayaswal

Most Indian farmers are poor, and need MSP support, which helps in building a public stockholding (PSH) to ensure food security programmes such as the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), providing free ration to 813.50 million poor people every month, they added, requesting anonymity.

India, a founding member of WTO, is willing to discuss other agenda of developed countries such as farm subsidies and restrictions on exports of food grains at the ministerial conference (MC), provided members first agree on a permanent solution to public stockholding, one official said. The 13th ministerial (MC13) of WTO is scheduled to be held between February 26 and 29 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The MC is the highest decision-making body of 164-member WTO and usually meets biannually.