US must offer real cuts in subsidy to its farmers: Kamal Nath

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath has said that the US must offer real cuts in subsidy to its farmers, and added that its proposal to reduce the doles was not in line with the current food prices.

Geneva, July 23 : Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath has said that the US must offer "real" cuts in subsidy to its farmers, and added that its proposal to reduce the doles was not in line with the current food prices.

The US on Tuesday had made an offer to reduce its overall trade-distorting subsidy to 15 billion dollars.

"It is hardly an offer when their applied duty subsidy is seven billion dollars," Nath told reporters here.

Nath today rejoined the crucial negotiations to break the Doha deadlock after UPA Government won a confidence vote in Parliament on Tuesday.

"If there was a vote here we would win it too," Nath said.

He said the US offer is "not commensurate with current food prices". Developed countries have to put something on the table and not "look into the pockets of the developing countries," Nath added.

The US has been making a strong demand on the large and emerging economies like India, China, Brazil and South Africa to give their manufacturers market by reducing tariff in return for reduction in American farm subsidies.

ANI