IMPACT OF W.T.O ON INDIAN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR Abstract
Trade is an engine of economic development. The establishment of W.T.O is an important landmark in the history of international trade. When developing countries were liberalizing their economies, they felt the need for better export opportunities. The W.T.O provides opportunities for countries to grow and realize their export potentials, with appropriate domestic policies in place. The issue of globalization in the Indian context has occurred in the patterns of trade and capital flow in recent years; unfortunately, so far we have not made much use of it. At one time a country’s trade pattern was determined by its natural resources and the productivity of its land. Leaving aside political and institutional factors, a country’s level of income was also largely determined by the global demand for its natural resources and its relative efficiency in exploiting them. The importance of land as a source of comparative advantage, however, changed dramatically after the industrial revolution. Today, it is almost insignificant. After the industrial revolution, the availability of “capital” became the most dominant source of comparative advantage. India will be able to expand its exports of agricultural products in which it has tremendous comparative advantage. The provisions of W.T.O offered ample opportunities to India to expand its export market. Contrary to this, the price situation changed dramatically after 1996, which was the first year after implementation of Urguay Round Agreement and formation of W.T.O. International price of agricultural commodities have since then plummeted, because of which domestic price turned higher than international price, which made India an attractive market for import of most agricultural commodities. This situation resulted in a wide spread decline in agricultural export and had also pressure on domestic prices. The impact of W.T.O on agriculture was severely felt by India as cheap imports have frequently hit the Indian market, causing shock waves among the agriculture producers. The changes in agricultural exports reveal that during pre W.T.O period the increase was significantly remarkable than post W.T.O period and the rising export trend could not be sustained in the post W.T.O period whereas imports rose steadily. The agricultural products from India can be made competitive in international market and the prices of agricultural goods in the domestic market can be improved by taking serious steps of reform.
“Globalize or Perish” is now the buzzword synonymous to “Do or Die” which conveys that there is no alternative to globalization and everybody should learn to live with it. India, being a signatory to the agreement that led to W.T.O, can no way step backwards. This is not the time to curse the darkness but to work for making India emerge as a global market leader.