Need for careful framing of sensitive list stressed

Calling upon various stakeholders to articulate their interests and concerns with respect to the agriculture and non-agriculture market access (NAMA) negotiations at the World Trade Organisation, a programme was organised in Hyderabad on 'Post Hong Kong Consultations on WTO'.

"Around 650 million people in India depend on farm-based income. With an attempt to remove distortions with regard to international trade, we need to analyse what items should be included in the sensitive list (list of items on which import duties should not be reduced). Sensitivities are attached to both export potential and import necessities. Keeping an eye on tomorrow, as sensitivities can change with time, we need to be careful while framing the sensitive list," Rajiv Kumar, under secretary, department of agriculture and cooperation, ministry of agriculture, Government of India, said.

Kumar was delivering the keynote address at the programme organised by the department of commerce and (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) Unctad-India Programme in association with the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Fapcci).

Technical details with regard to the formula for reducing bound rates (rates beyond which customs tariff cannot be raised for a product) in agriculture and non-agriculture will be agreed to by April 2006.

Therefore, the ministry of commerce and industry has requested Unctad India Programme to organise consultations with stakeholders for deciding India's approach to agriculture and NAMA negotiations.

According to C V Atchut Rao, president of Fapcci, agriculture is the most sensitive issue in the ongoing trade negotiations, particularly for the developing countries.

"It assumes more importance as it is related to food security and livelihood issues. A bad deal in agriculture will mean compromising on the livelihood of millions of people. All stakeholders should, therefore, identify their core concerns with regard to WTO negotiations and voice their views," he added.