Development not at the cost of subsistence farmers: Kamal Nath

Geneva, July 31 : Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath today stated that the primary objective of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round was to put the development dimension of international trade on centre stage.

Addressing a press conference on the outcome of the recently concluded World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference at Geneva today, Nath said, "While India was prepared to be constructive and reasonable, it could simply not accept any solution that would pose a serious threat to the livelihoods of its subsistence farmers."

"While there would always be commercial interests guiding trade, these interests cannot take primacy over the livelihood interests of billions of poor and vulnerable farmers of the developing world," he added.

"In the context of the current food crisis and the abnormal rise in food prices, it has become all the more important to preserve and protect the livelihood security of poor farmers and the long term food security of developing nations," he said.

While commenting on the lack of consensus on Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM), Kamal Nath said the issue was not India specific, as it affected more than 100 of the least developed and developing countries.

He reiterated that India stands committed to constructively engage at the WTO to move the Doha Development Round to a successful conclusion.

ANI