ENA Sectors 2025-06-18 16:14:11 <p><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>New Delhi, Jun 18 (KNN) </strong>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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">During a meeting of the WTOs 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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The government highlighted that developing countries face structural disadvantages compared to developed nations, particularly regarding eligibility for support above the de minimis threshold.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">India argued that farmers in drought-prone regions who grow cotton are particularly vulnerable. The countrys 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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">As WTO members gear up for the next Ministerial Conference, Indias demands shine a spotlight on long-neglected issues affecting farmers in developing economies.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Whether the WTO delivers on these cotton-related mandates could test the organizations capacity to ensure balance and fairness in agricultural trade.</span></p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:14px">(KNN Bureau)</span></strong></em></p> 42496 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/india-demands-fair-play-for-cotton-farmers-at-wto-meet 2025-06-18 16:14:11 knnindia.co.in