Doha round of negotiations could be over any moment: Official

KOCHI: The Doha Round of WTO negotiations could be over any moment as member countries have lowered their ambitions on agriculture, Planning Commission member Anwarul Hoda said on Saturday. 'My feeling is that Doha round can be ended any moment. Everyone has lowered their levels of ambitions on agricutlure. The stage where we are (now) shows that everywhere agriculture is difficult. It will be difficult to have it at high levels', Hoda said delivering a talk on the 'Doha Round of Negotiations on Agriculture and its Implications'. US delegation at the WTO discussions can take a final decision on the negotiations only after the presidential election in November. If there is a democratic president, things may be easier, if not there will be another round of 'slanging match', he said. The Doha round of negotiations had begun in 2001 and was expected to be over by 2004. India would not gain much in agriculture or industry. The real gain would be in services. However, the developed countries were not saying much on this aspect, he said. The developed countries had changed their "colours of subsidy," he said adding "From blue box subsidy they are now shifting to green box subsidy." Rising Oil prices have resulted in the food prices also going up. A lot of food value crops like corn, soyabean are being used to make bio fuels like ethanlol, resulting in diminishing supply. Urea prices had also gone up, pushing up food prices, he said.
source:TOI