08 January 2005	Saturday	26 Ziqa'ad 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 7: The developing countries, including Pakistan should ensure due protection to their farmers and seek greater market access for their agri-produce in the ongoing negotiation on agreement on agriculture (AOA) expected to be finalized by the end of the current year.

This was the consensus developed at a two-day seminar on trade, development and agriculture negotiations in WTO started here on Friday. The seminar was organized jointly by the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) in collaboration with the ministry of commerce.

An expert on WTO, Inamul Haq, suggested that developing countries should get together to get maximum benefits out of the multilateral rule based system. He called upon the policy-makers to address it in the current negotiations on finalizing modalities for agriculture negotiations, which will be the sensitive products for Pakistan to be protected.

Minfal secretary Ismail Qureshi said agriculture was a vital area for the developing countries. He said the negotiation on agriculture would create opportunity to enhance trade in south-south and south-north as well.

WTO representative and guest speaker Shishir said developed countries could use sensitive products to protect their products. This would help reduce the market access for the products of the developing countries.

Minfal parliamentary secretary Rajab Ali Baloch said the WTO regime had opened new opportunities and challenges for us particularly in the areas of agriculture, textile and clothing.

He said the country had to face the challenges of the WTO being emerged in the shape of elimination of quotas and subsidies along with the tariff escalation. "It is to be ensured that non-tariff barriers such as anti-dumping and sanitary and phytosanitary measures are not used against us."