WTO talks collapse: the poor and farmers lose

from the Australian

This story has some opinions from farmers and poor advocates in Australia. They say the trade deal would have given the poor a chance in the worsening economy. - Kale

FARMERS and the world's poor will be the losers from the collapse of world trade talks in Geneva overnight, advocates say.

The World Trade Organisation talks, which aimed to salvage a global free trade pact, collapsed after the US, China and India failed overnight to agree on when poor countries could raise import tariffs on farm products.

National Farmers Federation president David Crombie said the breakdown would prevent farmers from selling into new and expanded markets.

"The breakdown of negotiations in the Doha Round of WTO trade talks is another dismal result for Australia's farmers and agricultural exporters," Mr Crombie said.

Agricultural domestic support limits among OECD countries would not be reduced and market access would not be improved.

With the world food shortage biting hard, Mr Crombie warned developing countries would be the "biggest long-term losers" from the world trade impasse.

Oxfam acting executive director James Ensor blamed rich countries for the impasse, saying it was not fair for them to force poorer countries into heavy trade concessions.

"They defended vested interests and put poor countries under intense pressure to make concessions that have no place in a development round," Mr Ensor said.

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