‘Huge scope for export of selected commodities from Kashmir’

Workshop on WTO agreements, implications held

BILAL HUSSAIN

There is ample scope for export of the selected commodities from Kashmir in the developed countries. The catch is to have well developed local capacities to en-cash the opportunities, experts said on Saturday in a day long workshop on “WTO Agreements and Implications for Selected Industries in Jammu & Kashmir” in Srinagar
To increase the capacities of the entrepreneurs particularly for exporters of the Valley, Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) —pioneering institute of entrepreneurship development in the state— in association with the Center for World Trade Organization (WTO) studies and Federation of India Export Organization (FIEO), New Delhi organized one day workshop here.
In today’s international trade regime the discipline becomes must to make it smooth and successful. For entering into the international trade one need to understand intercontinental trade regulations. This is where the international body like WTO has a vital role to play, Professor Center for WTO Studies at Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Rajan Sudesh Ratna.
Varied issues regarding the WTO agreements were discussed and deliberated in the workshop. The focus of the workshop was to enhance understanding of the issues on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and their possible impact on Indian Business.
Ratna, in the workshop made a detailed presentation and said, “It is wrong to blame WTO for forcing the countries to abide by the international set regulations. Rather, it is enforcing agency where commitments made by member countries are inflict upon them.”
According to Prof Ratna countries well informed come prepared to WTO rounds always secure a better deal for its country in the negotiations. “India has to be prepared enough to manage a good pact for its people in the coming rounds,” he added.
Prof Ratna gave a detailed account on the benefits of the WTO and major issues for negotiation to the participants in the workshop. He shared tariff data of the commodities that have relevance in the valley like honey, apple, saffron, shawls, dry-fruits and few more.
There is a tremendous scope for export to developed countries for commodities from like natural honey, saffron and dried fruits from Kashmir. “There is huge demand for these products globe over and the exports from Kashmir should en-cash it,” he stressed.
Another professor from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Shashank Priya, briefed the participants about the trade defence measures and the defence instruments used by the countries.
WTO provides for three trade defence instruments for imposing duties beyond the bound rates: anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty and safeguard duty. “Detailed investigation procedure has to be followed before imposition of nay of the duties,” Prof Priya mentions.
Director JKEDI, Dr. M I Parray on the sidelines of the workshop told Kashmir Times that the institute would be conducting many such workshops in the near future depends upon the demand by the entrepreneurs here.
For export of these products WTO plays a significant role, therefore understanding of the various WTO norms and agreements etc becomes very important for all of us. Adding, Dr. Parray said, “While our traditional handicrafts may not face with tariff barriers or trade defence safe guards in development market economies we need to know through this workshop the impact of various WTO agreements on these products of our state”.
While elaborating up on the topic Joint Deputy Director General FIEO, Sunil Agnihotri, said that with the establishment of organizations like WTO and growing free trade agreements and regional trade agreements between countries the tariff barriers in the process of gradual elimination, encouraging market access has put in more challenges to the people especially in the developing countries. International market access by the developing economies is being highly restricted with unwanted standards and certification requirements and trade distorting measures such as anti-dumping and countervailing measures, he added.
The workshop which was attended by people of different walks of life like trade, academics, industries etc. Prof Ratrna gave a detailed presentation on “WTO Agreement on Agriculture, NAMA and Doha Negotiations” while Prof Priya spoke on “Trade Defense Measures”.