ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: Federal Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan said on Saturday Pakistan would identify sensitive agri-items to be placed as special products under the agreement on agriculture (AoA) to protect them against cheaper imports.

Pakistan along with other developing countries would also raise the issue of deeper cuts in tariffs, domestic support and subsidies on agri-products by the developed countries.

Talking to Dawn on Saturday the minister said that these issues will be discussed during the second WTO mini-ministerial meeting to start from Monday in Kenya.

He said that Pakistan has already reduced tariff to zero per cent on the most important agri products like wheat, sugar, etc., and would ask other member countries for similar liberalization of their trading regime.

Mr Khan said that during the first ministerial meeting held in Devos on January 29 last, the member countries have worked out a roadmap for the negotiations, which he said would be followed for the early conclusion of talks particularly on finalizing modalities for agriculture negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda (DDA).

This meeting would be particularly important for the G-20 member countries, which were scheduled to hold a meeting in India next month to discuss their agenda to be followed during the current round of negotiations to be concluded by end of the current year, he said.

Answering a question, the minister said that during his visit to Kenya he would raise the issue of 100 per cent increase in duty on rice by the three African countries-Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

He said if the duty was not revised to the earlier one, Pakistan might increase duty on import of tea from Kenya.

To another question, the minister said that bill of the proposed Pakistan Intellectual Property Right Organization (PIPRO) would soon be placed before the National Assembly for approval.

He, however, did not mention the exact date for placement of the bill before the assembly.