Costa Rican businessmen complain that because of export subsidies granted to sugar producers in India, there has been an artificial increase in production, causing prices to fall below costs.
Édgar Herrera, executive director of the Industrial Agricultural League of Sugarcane (Laica), explained to Elobservador.cr that "... These subsidies are greater than those allowed by the World Trade Organization, in the order of $10 billion annually.
The World Trade Organization created a special group to address a complaint filed by Guatemala for alleged export subsidies granted to sugar cane producers in India.
Guatemala asked the WTO to review domestic support measures and alleged export subsidies granted to sugar cane and sugar producers, which are carried out in the Asian country.
Luis Miguel Paiz, manager of Asociación de Azucareros de Guatemala (Asazgua), explained to Prensalibre.com that "... Guatemalan producers are concerned about the impact of Indian subsidies on sugar production, transport, storage and export."
December 31st is the deadline set by the WTO for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama to stop subsidizing exports from free zones.
In her article on Eleconomista.net, María José Saavedra analyzes "... the long road of extensions and extensions" which is coming to an end now with the World Trade Organization (WTO), having set 31st December 2015 as the last date for the elimination of these subsidies.
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.
In a statement that the Government of Costa Rica sent to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country said it will eliminate aid for rice farmers through a decree approved last month.
There should be time limits placed on any subsidies given to sectors of the population or the economy, so that they do not end depending on the state.
Martesfinanciero.com studied the case of subsidies granted by the Panamanian government, invoking the old adage "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish and you’ll feed him for the rest of his life."
For each load of 125 kilos of coffee, coffee farmers will receive $33 as compensation for the fall in international coffee prices and the devaluation of the Colombian peso.
A statement from the Ministry of Finance of Colombia reads:
Government triples coffee subsidies: 80 billion pesos ($ 44 million) for 600,000 families.
So announced the finance minister, Mauricio Cardenas, on Saturday at a press conference.
The Chamber of Construction Companies is urging the Government to create a new financing model for home purchases.
Employers propose that the government subsidize up to four interest rate percentage points for the purchase of homes under $38,000 and up to two points for homes between $38,000 and $51,000. Current interest rates fluctuate between 7.5% and 9%.