The powerful developing countries alliance, the G-20, including India, China and Brazil, on Monday asked the developed countries to reform their agriculture policies. The G-20 said the reform should be carried out by the developed nations by making effective cuts in their trade distorting farm subsidies and giving substantial agricultural market access to developing countries, especially in the light of increasing world commodity prices.Blaming the rich countries for the main distortions and restriction in agricultural trade and policies, the G-20 said at this critical juncture of the Doha Round talks and of the global economy, the developed countries must live up to their responsibilities of reform.On market access for agricultural products, the alliance, in a statement said "the formula for tariff cuts must be ambitious, particularly on the top band and the minimum average cut of 54% must be respected in line with the G-20 proposal. The tariff capping must be effective and apply for both sensitive and non-sensitive products," it said.G-20 said their unity remains intact as ever and said the group remains firmly committed to their common goal of eliminating the trade-distorting policies as well as the multi-layered nature of the distorting policies used by the developed countries.On the controversial issue of cotton subsidies, the group, and India in particular, said the developed countries are hardly showing any enthusiasm to engage in negotiations.India has pointed out that the US alone gives around 3.8 billion dollars worth subsidies to their 24,800 cotton farmers and said that if the cotton subsides are eliminated, then the cotton prices across the world would increase and farmers, including in India would get better prices.The G-20 has said that the developed countries must make deeper and more expeditious commitments for cotton. Meanwhile, WTO director general Pascal Lamy on Monday said the task ahead was as difficult as climbing a mountain. "The only way to reach the top is understanding each others' interests and limitations," he said.Around 30-odd ministers out of the 153 member countries of WTO made their statements on their demands and expectations regarding the outcome of the mini-ministerial meeting.
