AFROCA petitions cut in cotton subsidies at HK WTO meet
08 Dec '05
1 min read
Association of African Cotton-Producing Countries (AFROCA) in West and Central Africa have accussed Western countries of 'unfair and exorbitant' subsidies granted to producers.
They informed about this in petition signed by more than 2.4 million cotton growers to be submitted to Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure and World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Pascal Lamy, in the next Hong Kong summit.
Over one million cotton growers from Burkina Faso and other 800,000 from Mali, dominated the number of signatories in the petition.
These subsidies, which drop world exchange rate, caused losses worth $400 million for African cotton-producing nations during 2001-2003.
Studies reveal that if the US held back 'illegal' subsidies granted to their cotton growers and exporters and millers in that order then cotton price would rise in global markets by atleast 12 percent.
Fight initiated by Benin, Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad is likely meet support from other producer countries.
International organisations like Oxfam international, Helvetas and SNV are extending support to these countries in removing farm subsidies, at large.
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