India hopes upcoming trade talks in Hong Kong will help millions of farmers in the world’s poorest nations who are competing with subsidised agriculture from rich countries, Trade Minister Kamal Nath said
Ministers from around the world will gather in Hong Kong from December 13-18 for negotiations that could decide the fate of a four-year-old bid to reform world trade to boost economies and lift millions out of poverty, known generally as the Doha round.
Differences over farm subsidies and market opening in farm and industrial goods and services trade forced the 148 member states of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to drop plans to seek a draft accord at the Hong Kong meeting.
"Developed countries must ensure that the focus of development in the Doha round is not lost and ensure that it helps the least developed countries (LDCs)," Nath, a veteran businessman turned politician, told Reuters in an interview. "The package for LDCs must be real, meaningful and measurable."
Nath, 59, has emerged as a key figure in the global trade negotiations along with European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.
Nath said the global trade talks should rectify structural flaws in international agricultural trade and lead to expanded flows of products of interest to developing nations.
India has already said it cannot make huge cuts in its high farm tariffs because that would threaten 600-700 million subsistence farmers.
Over the weekend, India offered tariff concessions on industrial goods and services at a meeting of the Group of Seven industrialised nations meeting in London, but made it clear that rich nations must match their moves.
Together with Brazil, India leads the G-20 group of developing countries that is seeking deep cuts in U.S. and EU farm subsidies and tariffs.
Ministers from around the world will gather in Hong Kong from December 13-18 for negotiations that could decide the fate of a four-year-old bid to reform world trade to boost economies and lift millions out of poverty, known generally as the Doha round.
Differences over farm subsidies and market opening in farm and industrial goods and services trade forced the 148 member states of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to drop plans to seek a draft accord at the Hong Kong meeting.
"Developed countries must ensure that the focus of development in the Doha round is not lost and ensure that it helps the least developed countries (LDCs)," Nath, a veteran businessman turned politician, told Reuters in an interview. "The package for LDCs must be real, meaningful and measurable."
Nath, 59, has emerged as a key figure in the global trade negotiations along with European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.
Nath said the global trade talks should rectify structural flaws in international agricultural trade and lead to expanded flows of products of interest to developing nations.
India has already said it cannot make huge cuts in its high farm tariffs because that would threaten 600-700 million subsistence farmers.
Over the weekend, India offered tariff concessions on industrial goods and services at a meeting of the Group of Seven industrialised nations meeting in London, but made it clear that rich nations must match their moves.
Together with Brazil, India leads the G-20 group of developing countries that is seeking deep cuts in U.S. and EU farm subsidies and tariffs.
