Did the WTO Play a Role in the Food Crisis?

When high prices or natural calamities result in starvation and political unrest in the developing world emergency food aid is the best short run response. However, over a longer time frame it is important to have in place international rules that allow the market to function to help alleviate food shortages rather than making them worse. Given Canada’s trading position we have a huge stake in getting these rules right. Although the future of the Doha Round is unclear there is still time to make a start on developing better rules for export prohibitions, restrictions and export taxes that would serve the world better in times of shortage. A first step would be effective disciplines on the use of export taxes, and export restrictions and embargo’s.