Introduction:

The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction

The Uruguay Round global trade negotiations, formally endorsed in Marrakesh, Morocco, in April 1994, ushered in various agreements, including the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, which commenced implementation from January 1, 1995. This agreement delineated specific reduction obligations for different categories of countries, emphasizing market access, domestic support, and export subsidies.

Body:

It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content

Market Access:

Provisions concerning market access encompassed tariffication, tariff reductions, and access opportunities. Industrialized nations were mandated to reduce their ordinary tariffs by an average of 36% over a six-year period, with each tariff item subjected to a minimum reduction of 15%. Conversely, developing nations, still grappling with quantitative restrictions due to balance-of-payments concerns, were permitted to offer ceiling bindings instead of tariffs.

Domestic Support:

Regarding domestic support measures, which were subject to reduction commitments, affluent nations were required to curtail overall support provided during 1986-88 by 20%, while developing countries faced a reduction of 13.3%. Certain policies falling under domestic support categories, constituting less than 5% of the value of production for developed countries and less than 10% for developing nations, were exempt from reduction commitments.

Export Subsidies:

The Agreement mandated reductions in export subsidies, with developed countries tasked with slashing export subsidy expenditure by 36% and volume by 21% over six years, based on 1986-1990 levels. Similarly, developing countries were required to make cuts of 24% and 14%, respectively, over a decade. Furthermore, the Agreement prohibited future subsidies for products not subject to export subsidy reduction agreements.

Conclusion:

The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach

Although the WTO’s ministerial conference concluded without resolving crucial issues pertinent to India's interests, such as devising a permanent solution for the public food Public Stockholding (PSH) program and curbing fisheries subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing, members agreed to extend the moratorium on imposing import duties on e-commerce trade for an additional two years. These deliberations underscore the ongoing challenges and negotiations within the WTO framework

Other Points to Consider

13th ministerial conference (MC)

India’s commitment

India’s PSH (Public Stockholding) programme