Pressure Piles On Costa Rica to Remove Rice Subsidies

The country presented its new national rice policy before the World Trade Organization.

Monday, April 4, 2011

It aims to address competitiveness issues and to solve the lack of compliance with international regulations on domestic agricultural subsidies.

Although this new strategy was welcomed at the WTO, many countries believe it is not enough, especially because the country has not specified a date to remove the subsidy mechanism.

WTO delegates added that Costa Rica is far exceeding is maximum allowed subsidy level of $16 million. In 2008 the country summed $62 million in rice subsidies, $91 million in 2009, and $100 million in 2010.

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More on this topic

Costa Rica to Eliminate Rice Subsidy in 2014

June 2013

The Costa Rican government has informed the WTO that from March next year it will cease the pricing system by which domestic rice producers are subsidized.

From 1st March 2014 rice subsidies will be removed, which could end the dispute with the U.S. and other WTO members on account of aid given to rice farmers.

Costa Rica: $104 million in Rice Subsidies in 2011

May 2012

In the last 5 years the pricing system in force has transferred more than $390 million from the pockets of consumers to rice producers.

A statement of the Ministry of Commerce reads:

Rice sector subsidies in excess of $100 million for the second year

San Jose, May 8th, 2012.

Pressure Increases due to Costa Rica´s Rice Subsidy

November 2010

WTO members launched a new campaign against the country due to its subsidies to rice production.

The claims were presented at the meeting of the Committee on Agriculture of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and point out that Costa Rica failed to limit their subsidies.

Costa Rica agreed not to exceed $ 15.5 million a year in subsidies and in the year 2010 it has gone over $ 100 million.

Costa Rica to Cut Rice Subsidies

September 2010

In 2009 the country's agricultural subsidy bill reached $92 million with "almost all going toward the rice sector".

Pressure from the World Trade Organization (WTO), which received complaints from 35 countries on this subject, has led the Costa Rican government to study a proposal to present to rice growers.

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