Decoded: Differences remain amid some headway at WTO ministerial conference

Issues like subsidies, public stockholding for food security persist

Notwithstanding intense negotiations lasting over five days, the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ended in a status quo. No consensus was reached on most key issues, leading to no visible outcomes.

Divergences in positions persisted on crucial matters such as curbing subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing, and public stockholding for food security — a foremost priority for India.

While MC13 saw no specific outcomes, countries resolved to establish a fully functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all members by the end of 2024.

Even without a resolution on India’s primary demand regarding grain stockholding,