Country just not prepared for any compromise on the food security issue: Anand Sharma

06 Dec 2013 Evaluate

Dismissing the allegation of food security being the vote security bill in the upcoming general elections to be held in May, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma underscored that the government was only pursing an old proposal and that 'no agreement' would be better than a bad one. The Minister made it clear that the country was just not prepared for any compromise on the food security issue, adding the WTO deal at Bali has to be fair and balanced as 'it is better to have no agreement than a bad agreement'.

He further highlighted that idea of National Food security bill was not suddenly devised and that it was an eight year old proposal which had been discussed and re-discussed, negotiated and re-negotiated many times and even during the near collapse in June 2008.

All these justifications and clarifications were in the light of developed countries asking India to accept a peace clause, immunity against penalties imposed in case of breach of farm subsidy cap of 10%, under the WTO agreement on Agriculture (AoA) for four years. Nevertheless, developing nations, including India, on the other hand, want a peace clause only if permanent solution is found on the matter for smooth implementation of the food security programme. Further, allaying apprehensions of developed countries, the minister also averred that food grains stockpiled for the food security programme would not be released in the global market for trade purposes.

Further, as a solution to the stalemate at the Bali WTO Ministerial, India has proposed a partial package comprising agreed texts and a commitment to negotiate contentious issues further. The country reportedly agreed to adopt 8 out of 10 texts and have left the rest for negotiations.

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