iGrain India - India has strongly rejected allegations made by the United States and several other countries, including Australia, Canada, Argentina, and Ukraine, regarding the accuracy of the country's reporting on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for rice and wheat in the World Trade Organization (WTO).
These countries claimed that India had failed to provide accurate information on the MSPs of these vital food grains, suggesting that the reported prices were significantly lower than the actual support provided to farmers.
During a meeting of the WTO Agriculture Committee on November 26, India defended its position, dismissing the allegations as baseless, malicious, and misleading.
India's representative clarified that the criticisms were based on a misinterpretation of certain WTO rules and that the information provided by the countries involved was incorrect.
India emphasized that it has always complied with WTO rules and has been transparent in reporting its agricultural subsidies.
This dispute arises from a counter-notification issued by the US-led group of countries on November 11, 2023, in response to India's notification regarding agricultural subsidies for the years 2021-2023.
These countries argued that India's notification misrepresented the MSP for rice and wheat, claiming it was lower than the actual prices, and suggested that India was not fulfilling its obligations under the WTO agreements.
India, in turn, rejected these claims, stating that the counter-notifications were rushed, speculative, and based on incorrect assessments of India's agricultural support measures.
The country also reiterated its commitment to fulfilling its WTO obligations in good faith and stressed that the allegations were driven by political motivations.