Continue agri subsidy after LDC graduation under WTO rules

Business Report :
Bangladesh should pursue with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to be included in the list of net food-importing developing countries after LDC graduation in a bid to continue providing subsidies on agriculture exports, experts said on Sunday.

At the same time, the country should also develop export assistance schemes in compliance with WTO provisions, they said.
The Support to Sustainable Graduation Project (SSGP) of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and the Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project financed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), jointly organised the seminar titled “Impacts of LDC Graduation on the Agriculture Sector and the Way Forward”.

Speaking on the occasion, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said Bangladesh can mitigate the impact of LDC graduation by enhancing the production and quality of its agricultural products. State Minister for Planning Shamsul Alam said the withdrawal of LDC-specific facilities after graduation will create the compulsion for enhancing internal capacities.