Why in the news?
- Recently, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was slammed for contradicting the stand the his government has taken at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of challenging India’s farm subsidies, by siding with farmers protesting against the three new contentious farm laws.
- Canada is a member of the Cairns Group of Agriculture Exporters, whose main objective in agriculture negotiations at the WTO is to seek increased market access for their agri-exporters.
What is Cairns Group?
- It is a group of agricultural exporting nations lobbying for agricultural trade liberalization.
- It was formed in 1986 in Cairns, Australia just before the beginning of the Uruguay Round.
- 19 members of the grouping are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Uruguay, Viet Nam
- Cairns Group wants to enhance its market access in developing countries particularly in India by making them get rid of domestic agriculture subsidies that are provided to local producers, even if these are subsistence-level.
- It also criticises all import-restricting measures at the WTO and seeks a reduction in the tariffs that countries such as India apply on imports of agricultural products.
