Bangladesh gains from farm subsidy cut in rich nations

Bangladesh seems to have been caught between a rock and a hard place on the call for cutting agriculture subsidies in developed countries - which may lead to global price hikes of farm produce and raise import bills for everything, from wheat to sugar to cotton. Again, when it comes to exports, though still meagre, Bangladesh has a chance to benefit if prices of fresh fruits and vegetables go up in the global market. The call came from India, a developing country that feels itself discriminated against by the provisions of the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Agriculture that gives developed member countries the flexibility to provide higher domestic support to farmers, thus distorting trade of farm products. Being a leading producer and exporter of farm products, India raised the issue at the WTO forum and proposed that developed countries lower their farm subsidies to end trade distortions. As Bangladesh is assessing the Indian proposal, agro-economists and trade analysts ...