September 7, 2009
Australia farm group finds Doha draft disagreeable
Draft documents for the Doha trade agreement show it is not as positive for agriculture as governments have claimed, according to the Australian Farm Institute.
Global trade ministers have been working since 2001 to develop an agreement which would lower trade barriers.
But the Institute's Mick Keogh said Australian agriculture could be worse off than under past agreements if the current Doha draft is implemented.
The draft has many exceptions, safeguard mechanisms, special rules and rules for sensitive products that the end results are worth nothing, he said.
