India rejects WTO report on ending sugar subsidies

New Delhi, December 14

India on Tuesday rejected a report by the WTO’s dispute settlement body to investigate and determine whether India’s sugarcane prices and export subsidies exceeded its WTO obligations.

“India has initiated measures to protect its interest and file an appeal at the WTO against the report, to protect the interests of its farmers,” said an official news release.

“The findings of the panel are unacceptable to India. Its findings are unreasonable and not supported by the WTO rules. The panel has evaded key issues which it was obliged to determine. Similarly, the findings on alleged export subsidies undermine logic and rationale,” it added.

The move was led by the Australian sugar industry and joined by Brazil and Guatemala. “It is the next step in bringing India to account for its trade-distorting sugar policies which have driven down global sugar prices and impacted the livelihoods of Queensland’s cane farmers,” the Australian sugar industry had said. — TNS