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Rajasthan want hike in bound tariff rate on agri products
Rajasthan government has asked the Centre to increase `bound tariff rates` on agricultural products to protect Indian farmers under WTO regime.
Rajasthan government has asked the Centre to increase "bound tariff rates" on agricultural products to protect Indian farmers under WTO regime.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said in Jaipur on Tuesday that there were 119 agri-products whose tarrif rates were less than 100 per cent. Since the rounds of World Trade Organisation were still going on it was expedient that Centre hiked the bound tariff rates on these products to protect against surge in imports. Citing the 75 per cent bound tariff rate on mustard, Gehlot said, “At this low rate interests of the farmers cannot be protected.”
He said that despite increasing import duty on edible oils the market prices of mustard were less than the support price.
“We suggested at the recent chief ministers' meeting in Delhi to further increase import duty so that farmers could get 10 to 15 per cent more than the support price on oil seeds,” Gehlot said. The past six years' experience had made it clear that the agreements on agriculture under WTO failed to help the Indian farm sector or improve farmers' lot because developed nations had increased import duties on sugar, rice and dairy products to the detriment of developing countries, he added.
The chief minister said Rajasthan, being the top mustard grower and third in soyabean production, had been hit hard due to surging imports under WTO regime.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said in Jaipur on Tuesday that there were 119 agri-products whose tarrif rates were less than 100 per cent. Since the rounds of World Trade Organisation were still going on it was expedient that Centre hiked the bound tariff rates on these products to protect against surge in imports. Citing the 75 per cent bound tariff rate on mustard, Gehlot said, “At this low rate interests of the farmers cannot be protected.”
He said that despite increasing import duty on edible oils the market prices of mustard were less than the support price.
“We suggested at the recent chief ministers' meeting in Delhi to further increase import duty so that farmers could get 10 to 15 per cent more than the support price on oil seeds,” Gehlot said. The past six years' experience had made it clear that the agreements on agriculture under WTO failed to help the Indian farm sector or improve farmers' lot because developed nations had increased import duties on sugar, rice and dairy products to the detriment of developing countries, he added.
The chief minister said Rajasthan, being the top mustard grower and third in soyabean production, had been hit hard due to surging imports under WTO regime.
Bureau Report