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Economy in brief: Food security safe despite no WTO deal
Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has said the country will be able to safeguard its food security despite the absence of an agreement on public food stockholding at the World Trade Organization (WTO)
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span>Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has said the country will be able to safeguard its food security despite the absence of an agreement on public food stockholding at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The 165-member global trade governing body failed to attain a permanent solution on the public stockholding for food security purposes in its ministerial conference from Dec. 10 to 13 in Buenos Aires, Argentina following the United States’ rejection of the proposal.
“Even though a permanent solution has not been achieved, Indonesia’s interest for food security will not be affected,” said Enggar said in a press statement on Friday.
Developing countries, including Indonesia and India, sought a permanent arrangement that would allow them to subsidize their crops for food security without having to worry about legal challenges.
With the recent failure to reach a deal, they will continue to rely on an interim solution with which they can still provide subsidies, as set in the 2013 Bali Package, which covers trade facilitation, agricultural subsidies and the development of least-developed countries (LDCs).
Members of the WTO will further work on a draft proposal discussed during the recent meeting.
The Civil Society Coalition for Economic Justice had earlier urged the government to compel various public interests in the talks at the WTO, including fishery and staple food subsidies. It argued that the WTO’s rules on subsidy reduction had caused Indonesia, long known as an agrarian country, to import a significant amount of agricultural produce, such as soybeans, potatoes, garlic and salt. — jlm/fny
