dc.description.abstract | Trade liberalization, hoped to be achieved through WTO Agreement on Agriculture
(AoA) is expected to lead to export promotion and import substitution opportunities
for Indian food sector. However, these opportunities cannot be exploited unless
serious attention is paid to two important WTO agreements – Agreement on Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
(TBT). Due to the ‘experience’ and ‘credence’ nature of food products, trading
partners impose import restrictions based on food safety and quality concerns. These
concerns are legitimised by SPS and TBT agreements. Hence, to obtain maximum
possible benefit from these agreements, India will have to improve its safety and
quality norms to match the Codex standards and participate effectively in Codex
standard setting meetings. Moreover, it must ask for substantial amendments to some
of the articles of these agreements which seem discriminatory in nature. Finally,
India will have to strengthen import monitoring mechanisms so that domestic food
and phytosanitary laws are effectively applied to imported food items. | en |