NCC seeks cotton with agriculture in agreement at Doha round
01 Oct '05
4 min read
The US cotton industry will contribute to a positive outcome in the World Trade Organization's Doha negotiations – an outcome that must stretch across all agricultural sectors and all trade-distorting policies while providing more liberalized trade to everyone.
This was one of two key messages delivered by NCC President/CEO Mark Lange to a meeting of the International Cotton Association here today.
Lange reiterated the NCC's position that “US cotton does not and will not support being singled out for an early harvest in the Doha Round. We have relayed to Congress and the Administration in clear terms that we are fully prepared to work toward an overall, beneficial agricultural agreement and cotton is prepared to make an equitable contribution toward that positive result. We will, however, oppose any agreement that singles out cotton for unfair, special treatment.”
He said the US government has offered an aggressive and comprehensive initiative in the WTO special cotton sub-committee to examine all sources of price distortion in the world cotton market including subsidies to man-made fiber manufacturers, industrial trade policies affecting the flow of apparel and textile products, currency manipulation, and loan repayment practices.
In conjunction with addressing WTO policy issues, Lange noted US cotton's contribution to addressing developmental concerns of cotton-producing African countries. Via its partnership with the US government, that includes bringing technologies and systems to Africa that will help improve lives in that rural population.
marketing@alchempro.com
