WTO MC12: India seeks a carve out to export foodgrains to poor countries

India proposes that we carve out an exemption for govt-to-govt purchases between countries so that we can support countries in distress, particularly during some humanitarian crisis, said Goyal

On the second day of the World Trade Organization's 12th ministerial conference (MC12), India made a strong pitch to allow exports of foodgrains from public stocks on a government-to-government basis for humanitarian purposes.

At one of the WTO sessions, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that India believes that there are limitations of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), which has hardly contributed to world food security in any significant way.

"For instance, three-four years ago, all that WFP could procure in a whole year was only 3 MT of foodgrains", Goyal said. Even in 2021, the WFP could only procure 4.47 MT at about $1.7 bn, which is grossly inadequate to provide support during humanitarian crises or food security-related challenges faced by countries.

The World Food Program works in over 120 countries and territories to supply life-saving food to people displaced by conflict or made destitute by disasters.

"Other than trying to tell the world that WTO and its members have done something truly for addressing the concerns of world food security, it is not going to significantly change the scenario," Goyal said.

He said that countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bhutan need food supplies. India has stocks in the public stockholding program, which can help neighbours, countries in distress, other developing, less developed nations, the poor, and vulnerable sections of society.

"I fail to understand what is holding back the WTO members from also allowing government-to-government purchases for humanitarian purposes in the event of a problem, food security being threatened, and all of that could be on very transparent terms," Goyal said.

"There are many countries that have public stockholding stocks, which could immediately provide relief to their neighbours, to other countries in distress. Therefore, India proposes that we carve out an exemption for government-to-government purchases between countries so that we can support countries in distress, particularly during some humanitarian crisis, the less developed countries, and developing countries, who look up to us for support," he said, adding that if and when any export restrictions kick in then this carve-out will help.