'WTO bans countries from stopping export of food' due to Covid-19

By THE NATION

 

Tassanee Muangkaew

 

The World Trade Organization (WTO) on June 18 prohibited members from banning food exports, which many countries had imposed during the Covid-19 outbreak, Tassanee Muangkaew, deputy secretary-general at the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), said.

 

The decision was made by the WTO's Committee of Agriculture.

 

“The meeting agreed that the outbreak had a significant impact on the global food supply chain, especially in agricultural products, due to an abrupt halt in manufacturing activities worldwide,” she said. “Many countries have used measures that violated WTO’s regulations, citing the reason to remedy emergency situations, such as banning the export of food, agricultural products and medical supplies used for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19 to prevent shortage in their own countries,” she said.

 

“According to the WTO, these measures would further lower the global supply chain and would cause shortage of food and agricultural goods, eventually jeopardising the world’s food stability,” she added.

 

Australia, Canada and the European Union agreed with the resolution and pledged that they would not use measures that violated WTO’s regulations during the Covid-19 situation to facilitate open and predictable trade among member nations, she said.

 

The WTO also urged countries that had used export bans to explain the reason and periods for such measures. Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar have banned rice export; Egypt and Honduras have banned export of nuts, while Kazakhstan, Russia and Tajikistan have banned the export of wheat.

 

“As for Thailand, we had announced the ban on egg export to prevent domestic shortage during March 26 to April 30,” said Tassanee. “The OAE explained to the WTO meeting that the ban had already been lifted and was therefore not in violation of WTO’s prohibition that took effect on June 18.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390580

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-01

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Looks like China needs to take the US Chicken and that Norwegian Salmon....and stop the shenanigans they are playing with the new Pig virus.

China is buying all the food it can get its hands on, has been for many months now.

8 minutes ago, ukrules said:

China is buying all the food it can get its hands on, has been for many months now.

Because they know that their own produced food is dirty and filled with virus.

Just curious... does the WTO have any ability to actually enforce this ruling?

 

It kinda sounds like NOT, since the article goes on to state:

 

Quote

The WTO also urged countries that had used export bans to explain the reason and periods for such measures. 

 

5 minutes ago, rasmus5150 said:

Because they know that their own produced food is dirty and filled with virus.

 

That, if true, certainly hasn't stopped Thailand from continuing to import it...in vast quantities.

 

 

I like fresh blueberries with muesli for breakfast, and the ones we get here in Thailand mostly seem to hail from South America which has been badly hit by the virus. I always wash the fruit before eating it, as a basic hygiene measure, but we all know that water alone won't kill SARS-COV2, you need soap suds, alcohol or chlorine. Does anyone know if importers are cleaning the blueberries in a way that will kill the virus before packing them for sale, or are they just washing them in water?

To hell with the WTO,....... Them I believe Australia has been royaly shafted in world trade. 

Tell them to go to hell. 

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Just curious... does the WTO have any ability to actually enforce this ruling?

 

It kinda sounds like NOT, since the article goes on to state:

 

 

I  wonder the same ! Especially  when  some  countries  impose  sanctions on  others, apply updated food safety criteria, or  incapacity to supply or ship due to  other causes  can be justified ?

Current  global conditions have interrupted the presumed role of the  WTO?

So does that organization  consider itself  Administrative or  Police?

WTO can only act on complaints from one country about another, and 'permit' counter action. They cannot fine anyone themselves. A bit like the league of Nations........... pretty toothless.