The World Trade Organisation and India's Agricultural Exports

Table of Contents

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• 2. INDIA'S EXPECTED GAINS
• 3. METHODOLOGY
• 4. PERFORMANCE OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper analyzes the impact of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on India's agricultural exports, specifically examining whether the establishment of the WTO led to greater market access and better prices for Indian agricultural products as initially expected. It investigates whether initial concerns about negative impacts from developed nations proved valid.

• Impact of WTO on Indian agricultural exports
• Market access for Indian agricultural products
• Price trends of Indian agricultural exports
• Comparison of traditional, non-traditional, and future potential agricultural items
• Assessment of India's expectations from WTO's agricultural agreement

Chapter Summaries

1. INTRODUCTION: This introductory chapter sets the stage by discussing the initial optimism surrounding the WTO's establishment and the expectation of fairer agricultural trade. However, it highlights the persistent distortions in the international agricultural market and the concerns of developing nations, particularly India, about the actions of developed countries. India's significant agricultural sector, its size, and its contribution to the national economy are emphasized, along with the challenges faced by Indian farmers, such as limited landholdings and inadequate irrigation. The chapter outlines the paper's aim: to examine the problems and prospects of India's agricultural exports since the WTO's inception.

2. INDIA'S EXPECTED GAINS: This chapter details India's hopes for the WTO. Following the "Green Revolution" of the 1960s, India achieved self-sufficiency in food production, but faced challenges of oversupply and low prices during harvest seasons. The WTO was seen as an opportunity to access larger markets and achieve better prices for its agricultural products. The chapter establishes the context for evaluating the WTO's impact on India's agricultural sector by outlining the initial expectations and the problems that preceded the WTO's establishment.

3. METHODOLOGY: This chapter explains the research methodology employed to analyze the performance of India's agricultural exports. Due to the vast number of agricultural products, a selection of items is made, categorized into traditional, non-traditional, and future-potential exports. The selection criteria are based on India's past export experiences. The chapter describes the specific items chosen for analysis in each category (e.g., tea, cotton, tobacco for traditional exports) and explains the limitations of the study due to the lack of complete data for certain categories. The methodology focuses on the creation of quantity and price indices (using Fisher's Ideal Index) to measure changes in export volumes and prices since 1994-95 (the pre-WTO baseline).

4. PERFORMANCE OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS: This chapter presents the analysis of India's agricultural exports under the WTO regime. It examines the quantity and price indices for the selected commodities, evaluating the extent to which the WTO has fulfilled India's expectations of greater market access and improved prices. The chapter highlights some fluctuations and exceptions but focuses on the overall performance of the different groups of agricultural exports in terms of quantity and price, providing initial observations regarding the success or failure of the WTO agreement's intended benefits for India.

Keywords

World Trade Organization (WTO), India, agricultural exports, market access, prices, traditional exports, non-traditional exports, future potential exports, quantity index, price index, Fisher's Ideal Index, Green Revolution.

FAQ: Analysis of the Impact of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on India's Agricultural Exports

What is the main topic of this paper?

This paper analyzes the impact of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on India's agricultural exports. It specifically examines whether the WTO led to greater market access and better prices for Indian agricultural products, as initially expected, and investigates whether initial concerns about negative impacts from developed nations proved valid.

What are the key themes explored in the paper?

The key themes include the impact of the WTO on Indian agricultural exports, market access for Indian agricultural products, price trends of Indian agricultural exports, a comparison of traditional, non-traditional, and future potential agricultural items, and an assessment of India's expectations from the WTO's agricultural agreement.

What is covered in the Introduction chapter?

The introduction sets the scene by discussing the initial optimism surrounding the WTO and the expectation of fairer agricultural trade. It highlights concerns of developing nations, particularly India, about the actions of developed countries. It emphasizes India's significant agricultural sector and the challenges faced by Indian farmers. Finally, it outlines the paper's aim: to examine the problems and prospects of India's agricultural exports since the WTO's inception.

What are India's expected gains from the WTO, as discussed in the paper?

Following the Green Revolution, India achieved self-sufficiency in food production but faced challenges of oversupply and low prices. The WTO was seen as an opportunity to access larger markets and achieve better prices for its agricultural products. This chapter establishes the context for evaluating the WTO's impact by outlining these initial expectations and pre-WTO problems.

What methodology was used in the research?

Due to the vast number of agricultural products, a selection of items was made, categorized into traditional, non-traditional, and future-potential exports. The selection criteria were based on India's past export experiences. Quantity and price indices (using Fisher's Ideal Index) were created to measure changes in export volumes and prices since 1994-95 (the pre-WTO baseline).

What are the key findings regarding the performance of India's agricultural exports under the WTO?

This chapter presents an analysis of quantity and price indices for selected commodities, evaluating the extent to which the WTO has fulfilled India's expectations. It highlights fluctuations and exceptions but focuses on the overall performance of different groups of agricultural exports in terms of quantity and price, providing observations regarding the success or failure of the WTO agreement's intended benefits for India.

What keywords are associated with this research?

World Trade Organization (WTO), India, agricultural exports, market access, prices, traditional exports, non-traditional exports, future potential exports, quantity index, price index, Fisher's Ideal Index, Green Revolution.

What specific agricultural products were analyzed?

While the exact list isn't explicitly provided, the text mentions examples of traditional exports such as tea, cotton, and tobacco. The selection was based on India's past export experience, with categories including traditional, non-traditional, and those with future potential.

What are the limitations of the study?

The study acknowledges limitations due to the lack of complete data for certain categories of agricultural products.

What is the overall conclusion of the paper (inferred)?

The paper aims to assess whether the WTO has lived up to India's expectations regarding market access and improved prices for its agricultural exports. The detailed analysis in Chapter 4 provides the final assessment, although the specific conclusion isn't explicitly stated in the provided summary.