India Demands Fair Play For Cotton Farmers At WTO Meet

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Jun 18 (KNN) India has called on the World Trade Organisation to tackle deep-rooted imbalances in the global cotton sector ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference scheduled for March 26–29, 2026 in Cameroon.

The country emphasized that cotton is not just a commercial commodity but a“sensitive domestic issue”, with small and marginal farmers in arid regions especially dependent on it for their livelihoods.

During a meeting of the WTO's agriculture committee, India underscored the urgency of long-pending mandates: addressing public stockholding of foodgrains, establishing a special safeguard mechanism, and concluding a fair resolution for the cotton sector.

The government highlighted that developing countries face structural disadvantages compared to developed nations, particularly regarding eligibility for support above the de minimis threshold.

India argued that farmers in drought-prone regions who grow cotton are particularly vulnerable. The country's proposal calls for a permanent, rules-based solution within the multilateral framework to correct this asymmetry and ensure equitable treatment for similarly placed cotton-producing nations.

The call aligns with India's broader push for fairer trade practices at the WTO. In early June, during an informal ministerial meeting in Paris, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal advocated for the removal of non-tariff barriers, the reform of dispute settlement mechanisms, and action against trade distortions from non-market economies. The emphasis on cotton now extends this agenda into the agricultural sphere.

As WTO members gear up for the next Ministerial Conference, India's demands shine a spotlight on long-neglected issues affecting farmers in developing economies.

Whether the WTO delivers on these cotton-related mandates could test the organization's capacity to ensure balance and fairness in agricultural trade.

(KNN Bureau)

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