The government today said it is committed to protecting the interests of its farmers against all odds while reiterating its commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO). New Delhi has taken serious exception to the ceiling limits imposed by WTO on public stockholding programmes of the developing countries.

It said the ceiling pegged at 10 per cent of the domestic value production will hamper the procurement of food grains for public distribution system. Minister of State for Finance Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman said developing countries such as India must have the freedom to use food reserves to feed the poor without the threat of violating any international obligations.

She said this is sovereign right and the duty of the government to protect its citizens’ fundamental rights to life and livelihood. She was making a statement in the Lok Sabha on the stand taken by India in the WTO. She said New Delhi will be able to persuade the WTO membership to appreciate the sensitivities of India and other developing countries and see their way to taking the issue forward in a positive spirit.

The Minister said the timely correction of any imbalances or anomalies in the working of the system or its rules is critical to ensure that the WTO works impartially fairly in the interest of all its members and not just a select few. She said food security is a human concern especially in these times of uncertainty and volatility. Issues of development and food security are critical to a vast swathe of humanity and cannot be sacrificed to mercantilist considerations, she added. The Minister said agriculture is the mainstay of the Indian population. She said, in a country of the size of India with 60 per cent of the population dependent on a relatively unremunerative agriculture sector, the country cannot give up administered prices. She said this is the only way the country can procure food for the Public Distribution system. She said Public stockholding is a widely used means to ensure food security in many developing countries where agriculture is largely rain-fed.

The Minister said on 31st of July, India offered a way to achieve not only a permanent solution on the issue of public stockholding for food security but also to implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement in the agreed timeframe as well as deliver favourable outcomes for Least Developed countries. The Minister said India’s stand has resonated across the world.