The WTO mediator for farm talks, New Zealand’s ambassador Crawford Falconer, says he will produce a new text for consideration by no later than early next week. Coupled with a text on industrial goods, Falconer’s revision could trigger a process that would result in a deal to open world trade. Negotiators won’t speculate on when a ministerial meeting would take place.
Escalating food prices around the world have added an urgency to the talks. WTO members want to show the world they are addressing the food price crisis, even though a Doha deal could have only a long-term effect on supplies. And an agreement would remove distortions from world farm trade. These distortions, they believe, benefit rich countries and discourage poor nations from growing more food.
WTO members want to finish the Doha talks this year. They want to avoid the talks getting caught up in changing administrations in Washington and Brussels next year. The talks were started in 2001.
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