MSP opposed at WTO: The duplicity in Canada’s stand on the farmer issue

New Delhi, Dec 06: The irony around the statements by Justin Trudeau is that while he spoke out on the farmer protests, Canada is one of the most strident critics of India's Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other agriculture policies at the WTO.

These policies by India are meant to provide food and livelihood security to the country's farmers. A source said that the comments by the Canadian PM regarding the farmer protests are unwarranted. The comments are also at odds with Canada's aggressive posture at the WTO towards India's agriculture support to the farmers, the source also added.

India has been a proponent for reforming the WTO's Agreement on Agriculture. India has sought to eliminate distortion's and one of the main demands has been the elimination of the FBT-AMS subsidies which is available only to 32 of the 164 members of the WTO. Members have however failed to reach a consensus due to the opposition to the members who are beneficiaries of the GBT-AMS subsidies.

The recent farm legislations enacted by India would have served to allay many of the concerns that were raised by Canada. It is surprising to note that Canada is making unwarranted statements and supporting the domestic protests in India. It is clear that the issue is being used by Canada for political reasons considering the duplicity in the stand taken by Canada at the WTO, the source also added.