SKM, SKM NP, and KMM gave a call on 26 Feb for a nationwide Tractor Demonstration. The demand was that India must leave the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture. After World War II, in a bi-polar world, the western nations came together in 1947 to form the multilateral General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Over the years, GATT determined liberalization policies in the world that aligned with the West. It also provided frameworks and technology for the development of agriculture and other trades in developing countries. The aim was to keep control over nations lest they move to the Soviet bloc. By the 8th round of GATT (1987-93) in Uruguay, the Soviet Union collapsed and the mandate now was to liberalize agriculture and textiles. After considerable negotiation between the United States and the European Union, this led to the formation of WTO (1995) to replace GATT. WTO mandates that the government cannot buy more than 10% agrarian produce than of the value of production, besides rules on food quality and on patents. This opened the doors for Western countries to export food, agricultural technology, seeds, pesticides, fertilizers to India, but the Indian farmer could not get a decent price for their produce. The current Indian government has asked WTO for amendments in the formula to calculate the food subsidy cap. India calls it imbalanced and against developing nations. This will allow India to give better MSP for agricultural produce. This is the same position as the farmers. Yet, the violence.
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