WTO: India Seeks Africa Support, Says A Genuine Fight For Poor

India is asking for a change in the base year (1986-88) for calculating the food subsidies. It wants the change to current base year.

Kher said that about 21 countries in the world including eight African countries have implemented programme on food security which is based on public stock holding.

"All the countries are exceeding their de-minimis level, a situation which India has not yet reached but may reach after some years," he said adding "many of these (21) countries are overshooting their de-minimis level".

He also said that there are rumours in Geneva that India is interested in dumping cheap food grains in Africa by claiming food security benefits under the WTO agreement on agriculture.

He clarified that there is a provision under which no country can export foodgrains from the pool of the public stock holding for food security purposes.

The Secretary said that in September, WTO would convene in Geneva and the negotiation process would start again.

"We look forward for the support from Africa," he said, adding, the African nation should be wary of the mis-interpretations and mis-informations spreading by the developed world.

He said several developing countries and least developing countries because of certain geo-strategic issues and different compulsions they are not coming open to support India's stand.

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