The “Strategy paper on Coal Import Substitution” has been prepared as a report of the IMC (Inter-Ministerial Committee). The paper focusses on the present energy mix of the country, domestic coal production, trends and projections, import trends (sector-wise), coal import substitution measures already taken by the Government and most importantly, …
Mozambique's poultry industry is reeling under a deluge of cheap imports. Domestic farmers are unable to compete with low-priced products from countries such as South Africa, Brazil and Argentina. The Mozambican market, they assert, is becoming a dumping ground for products that have been rejected in the countries of their …
The first day of a multilateral conference involving most of the world’s nations is usually spent on procedural matters. So it was at Cancun, Mexico, where the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held from September 11 to September 14, 2003. After the usual ceremonial inauguration, …
At Cancun (“snakepit” in Spanish), it was widely expected that negotiations on agriculture would make or break the talks. However, delegates were quick to point to two other issues as equally damaging: (a) the manner in which the Cotton Initiative was methodically dismissed by the US; and (b) the poisonous …
What kind of ripples were let loose by the breakdown of talks? Celso Amorim, Brazil's minister of external relations and leader of the G-22 group, felt that the lack of engagement (of developing nations) in the Singapore issues, which mirrored the lack of engagement (of the developed world) on agriculture, …
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry has demanded a complete ban on the import of second-hand cars and used tyres, in its report tabled in parliament. The panel feels that the country is being converted into a "dumping ground for second-hand cars, which is eating into the domestic (automobile) industry'. …
Last week, on a visit to the cold desert of Ladakh, I learnt something important. It made me see the ongoing agricultural negotiations at the World Trade Organization's meet in Cancun, Mexico in a different light. I learnt that what the industrialised world is doing to our agriculture, Punjab and …
the recent Supreme Court (sc) order revoking the ban on the import of natural rubber under the Advanced Licence Scheme (als) has split the sector down the middle. While it has spelt gloom for over 10 lakh small and marginal rubber growers nationwide, the recent sc directive has been welcomed …
reeling under a spate of unfavourable rulings in the World Trade Organisation (wto), the us was dealt yet another blow when the dispute settlement panel ruled recently that tariffs imposed on imports of certain steel products were illegal. Although the decision is an interim one, such rulings are rarely reversed. …
Sri Lanka has derived a sure-fire formula for reducing drug prices and curbing the nation's medicine import bill. At a recent seminar, health experts recommended that the island nation import only about 500 essential drugs instead of the more than 8000 currently allowed into the country. The specialists averred that …
A recent study by the us-based Wildlife Conservation Society reveals that the quantity of shark fins in Asian markets could be double the previous estimates. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, which monitors and manages the world's fish populations, says that lack of accurate data has resulted in conservation …
The us food and drug administration (fda) may soon have to be notified before food is imported or even offered for import into the country. The fda has mooted this proposal to prevent the chances of terrorists bringing in contaminated food. The proposed regulation is considered a key step in …
an unprecedented legal battle is being fought in Pakistan's Lahore High Court. Responding to a petition filed by two food rights groups against the import of genetically modified (gm) soyabean from the us, the Pakistan government has declared that the transgenic variety is safe in terms of its impact on …
an unsavoury row has erupted in the us over the import of Vietnamese frozen fish fillets. On January 27, the us department of commerce (doc) slapped anti-dumping duties on the product stating that it was being sold in the domestic market at less than the fair price. Duties ranging from …
two incidents of illegal handling of waste oil have come to light recently, underscoring the fact that trade in the hazardous product continues unabated in India. That this is being done in utter disregard of Supreme Court (sc) directives
manufacturers of air-conditioners (acs) and producers of refrigerant gas are at loggerhead. With the Union government denying the former the licence to import refrigerant gas hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (hcfc-22 or r22), they allege that they are being forced to buy it at higher rates from domestic producers. Gas producers, in turn, contend …
RIGHTS ISSUE: A patent on atta chakkis (flour mills). It sure was unexpected. But it's been granted. The latest victim of the patent rights regime is the Asian traditional knowledge of producing atta. The US patent office has given patent rights to Nebraska-based ConAgra Inc for the "method for producing …
an informal round of World Trade Organisation (wto) talks was held in Sydney, Australia on November 14 and 15, 2002. A select group of 25 countries including Brazil, China, India, Senegal, the eu and the us attended the talks. The issue of developing countries' access to inexpensive medicines, enabling them …
The pastures are turning brown for the five rare white rhinos which Zambia imported in 1994. The country is in the grip of a severe drought that has already claimed the lives of 48 other wild animals in the Musi-O-Tunya national park since June 2002. Zambia Wildlife Authority (zawa) acting …
In a desperate bid to tide over its financial crisis, the Kazakh government is studying a proposal to import radioactive waste from abroad and bury it in the country. Though the venture will result in heavy cash inflow, environmentalists warn that it will turn the former Soviet republic into a …
