Agricultural reform ‘slow’

Press, 5 March 1987, Page 2

Agricultural reform ‘slow’

A successful G.A.T.T. round of multi-lateral trade negotiations may not result in an appreciable : improvement in world agricultural trade conditions for 10 or 20 years, a top West German official has said.

Dr Lorenz Schomerus, director-general of foreign economic policy and development aid in the Federal Ministry of Economics, said at Lincoln College yesterday that the Common Agricultural Policy of the Euro-

pean Community would reform only slowly. He has been brought to New Zealand by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was addressing staff and students at Lincoln College. Dr Schomerus put the prospects for reform of world agricultural trade firmly in the perspective of the much larger issues at stake in the forthcoming G.A.T.T. round.

He said the prospect that the G.A.T.T. talks might become a one sub-

ject (agriculture) and bilateral series (United States versus Europe) could be a main stumbling block to a successful conclusion.

A quick reduction in agricultural support in Europe would have serious social and regional effects which could bring political instability. It would therefore be unrealistic to expect quick and clear-cut solutions to the problems of world trade in. agricultural products, such as subsidies and stockpiles.