Vegetarianism, rising prices of food commodities.

[SwamiTaBra]

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In the last couple the food prices have been rising sharply, thus straining the budget of every family.

Tamil Brahmins invariably are vegetarians and even that tradition has not helped to slow down the spending on food.

It is just not a matter of concern of housewives, but to every earner in the family.

However, the soaring onion prices may not have much impact on TB households as the consumption of onion is generally quite low compared with that in other communities.

Readers are welcome to give their opinions on this subject.

Regards,
Swami

 

[Brahmanyan]

Dear Sri Swami,

Yes. It is a good subject to discuss. The prices of vegetables have gone out of control. Though Onions are not favored item in orthodox Brahmin families, it has become an important ingredient of side dish, due to change in the pattern of food taken by us. Our previous generations were aware of the fact that "Dhanur Masa or Margazhi" (December-January) is not favourable period for Agricultural products in general and especially Vegetables, and its called "Soonya Masam". During this period preserved food items like "Appalam, Vadam" and "Vatthal" were used in our food preparations. Unfortunately for the past few years, especially this year prices of food items sored high due to faulty action of UPA Government by allowing export of Onions without taking care of the domestic requirement. I wish the Government appoint a Committee under people like Dr.M.S.Swaminathan and Dr.Varghese Kurien and enquire into the lapses in our food policy to take corrective steps for future.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore

 

[sarma-61]

not only food prices but all cost of living will soar and soar only. my provision shopkeeper tells that in provisions and vegetables, the large retail stores purchse in advance for crores of rupees. growers have to sell to them only. not much comes to the open market.

but m.s. swaminathan and dr. kurien are not the people to do good for country but only to themselves. mss spoiled india's seed stock selling to U.S. and they have patented - basmati case only is known outside. mss junior who exposed the wrongdoings of mss was most likely kicked out. kurien spoiled the indigenous cattle stock and its effects will come to know in a few more years. now big effort is made to preserve one native cow variety of trichur side in kerala (vecchur, i think) with vandana siva's effort. so that some milk yielding native cow will be available suited for our climate andd feed. these two people are from that group who did not know what is good for country but only what is good for their fame.

 

[Raghy]

My suggestion is...plant a vegie garden; harvest atleast part of the requirements from the back yard/fron yard/ open terrace/window ledge/awnings/stair case covers/......anywhere you could plant. Don't go over board planting அவரைக்கொடி etc.. they need space to spread; if you have the space to spread and don't need 'spider man' to harvest, then good! otherwise, கத்தரிக்காய் , வெண்டைக்காய், தக்காளி, மிளகாய்etc don't need too much room.

Cheers!

 

[Brahmanyan]

My suggestion is...plant a vegie garden; harvest atleast part of the requirements from the back yard/fron yard/ open terrace/window ledge/awnings/stair case covers/......anywhere you could plant. Don't go over board planting அவரைக்கொடி etc.. they need space to spread; if you have the space to spread and don't need 'spider man' to harvest, then good! otherwise, கத்தரிக்காய் , வெண்டைக்காய், தக்காளி, மிளகாய்etc don't need too much room.

Cheers!

Good suggestion.
I have seen many people both in India and abroad taken terrace gardening as a hobby. Initially it needs guidance from a gardener otherwise it is simple. At Coimbatore where we had spacious frontage and back yard in our house, we had grown flowering plants in the front and vegetables in the back yard. But my father who was fond of gardening used to spend few hours in the morning tending the plants. In Muscat (Oman) where I lived for eight years, my friend grew vegetables in empty wooden crates filled up with mud and manure in the terrace garden. He was an excellent gardener.
I wish some one who knows the technique in "Tamil Brahmin" Forum can guide us in this regards.
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[SwamiTaBra]

not only food prices but all cost of living will soar and soar only. my provision shopkeeper tells that in provisions and vegetables, the large retail stores purchse in advance for crores of rupees. growers have to sell to them only. not much comes to the open market.

but m.s. swaminathan and dr. kurien are not the people to do good for country but only to themselves. mss spoiled india's seed stock selling to U.S. and they have patented - basmati case only is known outside. mss junior who exposed the wrongdoings of mss was most likely kicked out. kurien spoiled the indigenous cattle stock and its effects will come to know in a few more years. now big effort is made to preserve one native cow variety of trichur side in kerala (vecchur, i think) with vandana siva's effort. so that some milk yielding native cow will be available suited for our climate andd feed. these two people are from that group who did not know what is good for country but only what is good for their fame.

If we have to talk of Dr.M.S. Swaminathan a pandora's box is sure to open. IMO Dr. Kurien did not have diabolical intents. In fact decline of many indigenous species of cattle are as result of many other factors. (I had earlier associated with some of those issues).

Apart from the charismatic Vandana Shiva, there is another remarkable lady Vanaja Ramprasad, who has an organisation "Green Foundation" based from a suburb of Bangalore. Her organisation too is involved in preservation of vanishing indigenous seed varieties of crops in wetlands as well those for drylands.

It is true that the earlier Green Revolution has put a heavy strain on the complex symbiotic relationship between man-environment-domesticated animals. Genetically modified crops has a potential to cause greater damage.

We have to have a rigorous national assessment of our food resources, and the potential thereof. Unfortunately this does appear to be on the top of the priority of the policy makers. Only the manufacturing (organised sector) and service sector hog the limelight.

TBs largely are ignorant of these issues. Their world appears to revolve around getting plum jobs and acquiring riches and talking tidbits about the orderly traffic in the west and the like.

With regards,
Swami

 

[sarma-61]

If we have to talk of Dr.M.S. Swaminathan a pandora's box is sure to open. IMO Dr. Kurien did not have diabolical intents. In fact decline of many indigenous species of cattle are as result of many other factors. (I had earlier associated with some of those issues).

Apart from the charismatic Vandana Shiva, there is another remarkable lady Vanaja Ramprasad, who has an organisation "Green Foundation" based from a suburb of Bangalore. Her organisation too is involved in preservation of vanishing indigenous seed varieties of crops in wetlands as well those for drylands.

It is true that the earlier Green Revolution has put a heavy strain on the complex symbiotic relationship between man-environment-domesticated animals. Genetically modified crops has a potential to cause greater damage.

We have to have a rigorous national assessment of our food resources, and the potential thereof. Unfortunately this does appear to be on the top of the priority of the policy makers. Only the manufacturing (organised sector) and service sector hog the limelight.

TBs largely are ignorant of these issues. Their world appears to revolve around getting plum jobs and acquiring riches and talking tidbits about the orderly traffic in the west and the like.

With regards,
Swami

Shri Swami Tabra Sir,

"oru koti" thanks for noticing what i wrote and also agreeing with it. i was thinking i am misfit here. but now getting some hope. or is it you are also misfit like me?!!

i read one newspaper article sometime ago. it said that a good gandhian man was behind the "jersy" cross-breeding programme. his idea was only to slightly increase milk production of native cows. but the article doubts why he went for jersy since sindhi cows are also good enough. kurien somehow got into that milk production circuit, pulled wires politically and grew very big. we now have almost 100percent jersy cows. but these cannot just go out into rice fields, eat the stumps and give dung. the article says dung was more important for our agriculture, food for the poor like ragi. milk was only for higher castes - lower castes it was luxury - and chemical fertilizeer has almost destroyed our soil. now we can only build flats on rice fields and children will say "rice grows on the rice tree"!

America wants this because it can then export at high prices and take back all dollars given to IT sector that way. this is what that article said. the GM seeds also was criticised as very dangerous. now there is open fight between kerala CM and cpm politbureau on these question of GM seeds!!

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Shri Swami Tabra Sir,

"oru koti" thanks for noticing what i wrote and also agreeing with it. i was thinking i am misfit here. but now getting some hope. or is it you are also misfit like me?!!

i read one newspaper article sometime ago. it said that a good gandhian man was behind the "jersy" cross-breeding programme. his idea was only to slightly increase milk production of native cows. but the article doubts why he went for jersy since sindhi cows are also good enough. kurien somehow got into that milk production circuit, pulled wires politically and grew very big. we now have almost 100percent jersy cows. but these cannot just go out into rice fields, eat the stumps and give dung. the article says dung was more important for our agriculture, food for the poor like ragi. milk was only for higher castes - lower castes it was luxury - and chemical fertilizeer has almost destroyed our soil. now we can only build flats on rice fields and children will say "rice grows on the rice tree"!

America wants this because it can then export at high prices and take back all dollars given to IT sector that way. this is what that article said. the GM seeds also was criticised as very dangerous. now there is open fight between kerala CM and cpm politbureau on these question of GM seeds!!

Dear Sarma61,

You have a good case, but I fear you could end up spoiling that by some of your unsubstantiated allegations.

It is not that indigenous breeds of cattle ( referring to milch cows) are totally wiped and being replaced with jersey breed. Of course cross-breeding is resorted to. Pure jersey breed hardly manage to survive the Indian summer without adequate protection, and even if they do, the milk yield drops heavily.

I agree with you that there is a danger of extinction of pure-line breeds.

Kurien's NDDB's major achievement has been in galvanising the milk-federations and the near full-scale integration of milk-processes thereupon. Another achievement I am told was with the buffalo milk sterilisation. I'm not too sure whether he carried an agenda to replace the indigenous breeds of milch cows with exotic ones.

Spread of mono-culture is recognised as a danger. To wean farmers away from chemical-fertiliser dependant cultivation is surely a huge challenge. That has to done in a graded manner.

Shrinking of prime wet-lands due to expanding urban sprawl is a major cause of concern and the governments are oblivious to it. Riparian disputes too do their share of harm.

With rgds,
Swami

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

Sir:
It is quite true that the prices of vegetables have gone sky-high, with onion at Rs 70
per kg, others at around 50 to 60 rs/kg. The prices of other domestic provisions are
also soaring day by day; but our Ministers say inflation is under control. I am at a loss
to understand the statistics produced by the Ministry.

Moreover, the farmers use fertilizers to increase the yield and the consumption of food
brings only quite unknown diseases. Renal failure, Cardiac ailments, Diabetes and many
more are the order of the day. Frankly the Medical fraternity is baffled to find out the
cause and they simply say ' It is due to food, or climatic changes or contaminated
water '

Quite a few landlords allocate a small piece of land for producing vegetables and even
rice without using any fertilizer and with natural manure for their personal consumption.

In Cities this is not possible because politicians-builders combine swallow all the land
and buy out independent houses for promoting flats. There is big money in this business
and people who are in it have money, muscle and political power.

In Madras city, you can find that all the lakes ( lake area west mambalam, velachery,
nungambakkam, madipakkam and many more ) are converted into multistoreyed
residential flats at fancy prices. Not only we are deprived of surface water stored
in these lakes, but we are also seeing the phenomenon of underground water-table
going down day by day. I feel sorry that this kind of exploitation of nature is
encouraged actively by the Govt. They have not left out even the Temple Tanks,
which are levelled and filled in and are used for commercial purposes. Only Jayalalitha
took stern action against this and restored the temple tanks.

 

[sadasivam.sridharan]

We, the Brahmins, have become so helpless and weak to take on the corrupt political system.The problem is we do not have capable leaders at the top echelons of Government to represent and take up the issues pertaining to our community.The brahmin community is at present like a rudderless ship drifting along with the wind.

 

[sarma-61]

We, the Brahmins, have become so helpless and weak to take on the corrupt political system.The problem is we do not have capable leaders at the top echelons of Government to represent and take up the issues pertaining to our community.The brahmin community is at present like a rudderless ship drifting along with the wind.

Shri Sridharan Sir,

what this has got to do with rising prices of vegetables? I see so many orthodox brahmins here believing every word and letter in our puranas, vedams, etc., saying so-and-so lived 5000 years ago, this mantram was taught to him by god/goddess himself/herself and so on. So, i will recommend them to go to whatever great guru they have and ask him/her to give upadesam of bala & atibala mantras so they can go even without food like Rama & Lakshmana in the forest. that way - as real brahmins - they can defeat the wicked politicians, is it not?! just a common man's idea!

 

[Brahmanyan]

We, the Brahmins, have become so helpless and weak to take on the corrupt political system.The problem is we do not have capable leaders at the top echelons of Government to represent and take up the issues pertaining to our community.The brahmin community is at present like a rudderless ship drifting along with the wind.

Corruption affects the entire Nation and all citizens. Why should you single out protection of Brahmin Community alone. Just capable leaders are not enough to wipe out the scourge of Corruption. We need a national leader of high calibre like Gandhiji, Vinobha Bave and JP Narayan to lead a peoples' movement against Corruption. Also we need an honest PM armed with equally strict and quick penal action against the Corrupt people who are ruining our Nation.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore

 

[sarma-61]

Corruption affects the entire Nation and all citizens. Why should you single out protection of Brahmin Community alone. Just capable leaders are not enough to wipe out the scourge of Corruption. We need a national leader of high calibre like Gandhiji, Vinobha Bave and JP Narayan to lead a peoples' movement against Corruption. Also we need an honest PM armed with equally strict and quick penal action against the Corrupt people who are ruining our Nation.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore

Shri Brahmanyan Sir,

You don't like my writing but i find some point which makes me write. gandhiji, vinoba bhave, JP are all good people. but they won't do - they are all mild people. what we want is people like vallabhai patel - very able administrators who are very very honest and bold to get things done.

 

[biswa]

Just a comment about the US exploiting and looting India, seeds, Basmati rice patent etc.. The US is not a homogeneous entity, just like India. There are businessmen trying to make money and just like businessmen everywhere, they can be unscrupulous and take shortcuts. I doubt there is a concerted effort by the US government to bring down India "to take revenge for IT". After all there are many Indians in positions of power in the US. This includes Tamil Brahmins.

 

[Nara]

...... The US is not a homogeneous entity, just like India.

What does this mean, "US is not a homogeneous entity", and what is the relevance?

There are businessmen trying to make money and just like businessmen everywhere, they can be unscrupulous and take shortcuts.

Except, in the U.S., the mega corporations own the government for all intents and purposes.

I doubt there is a concerted effort by the US government to bring down India "to take revenge for IT".

You know, IT is a sideshow, US is perfectly willing to throw some bones to keep the Indian middle class from challenging its politicians selling Indian interests to US MNCs. The dominant Indian social and political ethos today yearns to be no less a lap dog of USA than UK is. It is not just IT, in a range of industries from pharmaceutical companies, to agriculture, to nuclear power, to military hardware, U.S. is making a sure India becomes totally dependent on it. Unless the Indian civil society is vigilant, the politicians and business interests in India will make sure India is soon a fully owned subsidiary of US corporate interests.

Cheers!

 

[Brahmanyan]

Shri Brahmanyan Sir,

You don't like my writing but i find some point which makes me write. gandhiji, vinoba bhave, JP are all good people. but they won't do - they are all mild people. what we want is people like vallabhai patel - very able administrators who are very very honest and bold to get things done.

Dear Sri Sarma,

First I wish to dispense with the notion that I don't like your writing. I for one respect others' views however different they me be from mine. Coming to the subject, Sardar Patel was a great leader and exceptional administrator. But it is my view that we need a leader with inner strength to lead the peoples' movement against corruption. The leaders I had mentioned were not 'mild people' , they have led the Nation against mighty Powers like British rule, Naxalite Movement and Emergency Rule.

Warm Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[a.lakshmi]

I stay in an apartment which is near-by a few villages , i intend to start a regular manure making not-for-profit activity , the very thought was dismissed by the all the people including my husband.

The discussions here seem to encourage my thought , i am a proud brahmin( not helpless anymore) and would want to start if off , thanks people

Brahmanya sir, you stay in bangalore could we discuss.....

 

[Brahmanyan]

I stay in an apartment which is near-by a few villages , i intend to start a regular manure making not-for-profit activity , the very thought was dismissed by the all the people including my husband.

The discussions here seem to encourage my thought , i am a proud brahmin( not helpless anymore) and would want to start if off , thanks people

Brahmanya sir, you stay in bangalore could we discuss.....

Dear Mrs Lakshmi,

Yes, I am in Bangalore and you can contact me for any discussion. To start with I would suggest the name of one organization Navadarshanam in Gumlapuram, near Thalli (TN) about 50 kms south of Bangalore, who are involved Eco friendly activities. I do not know whether you are aware of Navadarshanam, a collective effort of dedicated professionals who are involved in all round Eco friendly activities. I know Sri T.S.Ananthu one of the founders of this initiative and have been attending their meets regularly for the past many years. Now I have slowed down my contacts due to age factor. You can find more about them in their website :
Navadarshanam: Mission

Warm Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[SwamiTaBra]

The problem with the ignorant middle-class is that it does want to know the magnitude of the problem with regard to food-production, its supply chain etc.

Even a couple of years back, every one was raving about the departmental stores selling vegetables, and the promise of bringing down prices in the long run due to "delayering" or elimination of middlemen. All sounded fine. They were plainly unaware--even now-- that even if the prices are brought down in the short time it will "predatory pricing", intended to kill competition from small entrepreneurs that will facilitate the stage for dictating the market.

E.g.:
Cocoa producers are totally at the mercy of a few companies like Cadbury's in India.

For the sort of food-inflation we have here any responsible government like those in the west-Europe or even the non-democratic China would be worried that riots can break out any time.

The apathy here is inscrutable, and hence here the food and agriculture minister can conveniently involve himself in conducting the affairs of a sport called cricket.

Regards,
Swami

 

[pannvalan]

Expecting a few eminent persons to lead and guide us is not going to take us anywhere. There must be a social movement to protect our rare natural resources and species and ourselves too.

I would recommend that several NGOs (not those embroiled in any controversies) and government departments/agencies should join hands to collect vast data and come out with their findings and concrete suggestions/recommendations.

As Brahmanyan has observed the inflation especially the rise in the prices of vegetables, milk and petrol has affected every section of the society. So, any solution shall be to protect all and acceptable to all.

Some suggestions from me:

1. Spreading the habit of kitchen gardens (but what about availability of water in all places?)
2. Some amount of incentive/subsidy from government's side
3. Banning export of sensitive commodities before it is too late (From Charan Singh's period, allowing exports of certain produce/commodity and again
permitting imports of the same one at much higher price is happening)
4. Allowing imports with restrictions and close monitoring, wherever necessary.
5. Banning online trading in certain basic commodities like foodgrains and cereals, pulses, sugar, edible oil, cotton etc.
6. Taking stringent action against black marketeers and hoarders.
7. Establishing 'uzhavar sandhais' (rythyu bazar) throughout the country.
8. Encouraging, subsidising, funding and establishing cold storages all over the country.
9. Procuring certain commodities/produces directly from farmers and distributing them through Fair Price Shops - at three different prices/rates.
(a) At rock bottom prices (say,10% of market prices) for the downtrodden, tribals, destitutes and orphans
(b) At 25% of the prevailing marketing prices to people below poverty line (BPL)
(c) At 60% of the prevailing marketing prices to people above poverty line (APL) up to certain income levels so as to include people up to upper
middle income groups.

 

[sarma-61]

Expecting a few eminent persons to lead and guide us is not going to take us anywhere.

Very correct.

There must be a social movement to protect our rare natural resources and species and ourselves too.

utopian idea. no such thing will happen in india. there are enough powerful people who do not bother about price rises.

I would recommend that several NGOs (not those embroiled in any controversies) and government departments/agencies should join hands to collect vast data and come out with their findings and concrete suggestions/recommendations.

almost all ngos are indebted to govt/s. so how will thye go do something which is trouble for govt?

2. Some amount of incentive/subsidy from government's side
3. Banning export of sensitive commodities before it is too late (From Charan Singh's period, allowing exports of certain produce/commodity and again
permitting imports of the same one at much higher price is happening)
4. Allowing imports with restrictions and close monitoring, wherever necessary.
5. Banning online trading in certain basic commodities like foodgrains and cereals, pulses, sugar, edible oil, cotton etc.

we cannot do any of these things because our master - obama, wto - will spank MMS immediately, give some billions more to pak & terrorists and make our life miserable if we go against and show a bit of backbone!

6. Taking stringent action against black marketeers and hoarders.

Strange! they govern the country, are you sleeping like rip van winkle?

7. Establishing 'uzhavar sandhais' (rythyu bazar) throughout the country.
8. Encouraging, subsidising, funding and establishing cold storages all over the country.
9. Procuring certain commodities/produces directly from farmers and distributing them through Fair Price Shops - at three different prices/rates.
(a) At rock bottom prices (say,10% of market prices) for the downtrodden, tribals, destitutes and orphans
(b) At 25% of the prevailing marketing prices to people below poverty line (BPL)
(c) At 60% of the prevailing marketing prices to people above poverty line (APL) up to certain income levels so as to include people up to upper
middle income groups.

middle men, black marketeers, hoarders (mm-bm-h)are very powerful in most of india, that small farmer cannot keep his produce in cold storage unless his produce is made over to one or another of these mm-bm-h at rock bottom price. pl enquire in some other states with number of cold storages and tell me if i am wrong. this is the position in natural rubber also.

so, we Tbs as devout people, either pray for kalki avataram to come immediately, or appeal to all the godmen/gurus etc.,- considered to have great supernatural powers to bring down prices by creating enough stocks everywhere. at least this can be tried by the ardent bhakta groups of each godman/godwoman/guru/swami etc.

 

[pannvalan]

Your last paragraph was quite interesting.

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Very correct.

utopian idea. no such thing will happen in india. there are enough powerful people who do not bother about price rises.

almost all ngos are indebted to govt/s. so how will thye go do something which is trouble for govt?

Dear Sarma-61,

For that matter most NGOs are dependant on foreign funders to keep themselves going. Even giving allowance for corruption, government funding is far more stringent. If funding from abroad is monitored and regulated that will be better. If done the Christian organisations will cry hoarse and the Human Right wallahs will go out of business.

I broadly agree with rest of what you have said.

To add to that I strongly feel that direct subsidy to sincere farmers is necessary to save ourselves. All those ignorant TBs who visit US rave about cheap, good milk do not know that milk too is heavily subsidised in US and in western Europe whilst no subsidy is provided to milk producers in India.

We badly need to raise at least some degree of awareness, and my purpose to starting this thread is toward that end and I am gratified that your contribution is immensely valuable, though I may differ with you in some other threads.

With regards,
Swami

 

[sarma-61]

Dear Sarma-61,

For that matter most NGOs are dependant on foreign funders to keep themselves going. Even giving allowance for corruption, government funding is far more stringent. If funding from abroad is monitored and regulated that will be better. If done the Christian organisations will cry hoarse and the Human Right wallahs will go out of business.

I broadly agree with rest of what you have said.

To add to that I strongly feel that direct subsidy to sincere farmers is necessary to save ourselves. All those ignorant TBs who visit US rave about cheap, good milk do not know that milk too is heavily subsidised in US and in western Europe whilst no subsidy is provided to milk producers in India.

We badly need to raise at least some degree of awareness, and my purpose to starting this thread is toward that end and I am gratified that your contribution is immensely valuable, though I may differ with you in some other threads.

With regards,
Swami

Shri Swamiji,

while learned people like Shri Nara may know the extent of subsidies in US and Europe, they may not be well informed about situation in India. but, as I said, our govt will be scolded/chided and disciplined if it dares to subsidise farmers - the agricultural sector. Now if we say service sector probably WTO may agree because this subsidy will reflect, at least partly, in savings to them in their outsourcing!

Since you are knowledgeable i suggest you give a short and simple write-up on how india and developing countries are being forced to abolish subsidies while the rich countries do flout it merrily, what are the consequences, etc.

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Shri Swamiji,

while learned people like Shri Nara may know the extent of subsidies in US and Europe, they may not be well informed about situation in India. but, as I said, our govt will be scolded/chided and disciplined if it dares to subsidise farmers - the agricultural sector. Now if we say service sector probably WTO may agree because this subsidy will reflect, at least partly, in savings to them in their outsourcing!

Since you are knowledgeable i suggest you give a short and simple write-up on how india and developing countries are being forced to abolish subsidies while the rich countries do flout it merrily, what are the consequences, etc.

I can't claim to be an expert on this subject. I have just expressed my observations.

Leave aside what happened during the British reign. China with less arable land than ours produces 440 million tonnes annually. No other country, except India is blessed with nearly 50% of its land area fit for cultivation and with sunshine round the year.

Notwithstanding the official govt. claims the food situation is slipping into a precarious level.

The WTO Doha round is still in stalemate on agricultural subsidies. Pascal Lamy, Director General of WTO himself had to concede that the developed countries are not prepared to reduce subsidies in agriculture.

But by the instruments such as IMF and IBRD, many developing countries can be arm-twisted individually. In the last WTO meet, it is because China, India and Brazil stood firm, the developed group could not achieve a breakthrough.
It is too complex to understand the linkages in the whole gamut of international trade, subsidies, concealed subsidies etc.

Members knowledgeable on the subject may kindly share their insights.

Regards,
Swami