African Nations Press for an End to Cotton Subsidies in the West

Agricultural subsidies continue to be the keyword for the current round of WTO talks in Cancun. Cotton has become the symbol of the debate, with four African nations who depend on the crop for 10% of their gross domestic products claim the combined 4 billion dollars worth of subsidies provided by the EU and the US to their cotton farmers keep prices below cost. Unsubsidized farmers can not survive in the unprofitable industry, and their nations can not afford to give them handouts. The politically strong cotton industry in the US has kept America unwilling to compromise, while the African nations feel international support is on their side and thus want to push their potential advantage. –YaleGlobal