SA could support anti-US maize subsidy lobby

Canada issues a challenge ALAN PEAT A BATTLE continues to brew between Canada and the US over its subsidies and other domestic support for corn and other agricultural products, and it is rumoured from government level that SA might join in the war, according to Gus Mandigora, a researcher at the Southern African Trade Law Centre (tralac). Commenting on Canada’s recent challenge to US maize subsidies, Mandigora told FTW that Canada had officially sought consultations with the USA – “marking the first step in proceedings under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute settlement understanding.” This resulted from the USA allegedly providing trade-distorting subsidies to the tune of about R64.8-billion a year to its maize industry in particular. “The challenge has been welcomed by analysts and agricultural associations in SA,” said Mandigora. The SA department of trade and industry (DoT&I) has not ruled out the possibility of later joining the proceedings as a third party.