WTO to instigate sugar hit on India

The WTO will establish a panel to resolve the dispute with India over the dumping of subsidised sugar on the world market.

FURTHERpressure is being brought to bear on India by the Morrison Liberal National Governmentas the sugar-producing competitor continues to flout the requirements of theWorld Trade Organisation (WTO) in ensuring a level playing field on the worldsugar market.

I welcome today's news from the Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Simon Birmingham that a WTO panel will now be appointed to resolve the dispute.

We have Brazil and Guatemala joining Australia in the establishment of this WTO panel, who will move to resolve this dispute which is driving sugar prices to rock bottom and threatening the viability of cane farming.

India has been asked to stop dumping subsidised sugar onto the world market, and they have not responded.

They will now be required to sit down with the WTO panel to get this trade dispute resolved.

I appreciate the support of both our Trade Minister Simon Birmingham and Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie in continuing to prosecute the case through the appropriate channels on behalf of the nation’s 4000 cane farmers and thousands more who are reliant on a viable sugar industry.