WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/AG/N/VEN/16
9 March 2000
(00-0924)
Committee on Agriculture Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
The following notification on domestic support commitments ( Table DS:1  and relevant
supporting tables) for 1997  was received from the Permanent Mission of Venezuela  on
10 March 2000.G/AG/N/VEN/16
Page 2Table DS:1
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: Venezuela
REPORTING PERIOD:  1997
Current Total Aggregate Measurement of Support
Total AMS commitment level for period in question Currency Current Total AMS*
(from Section 1 of Part IV of the Schedule) (from Section 1 of  Part IV of the Schedule) (from attached supporting tables)
123
1,252,431 Thousands of US$ 456,549
* Bs 488.59 for US$1 (average exchange rate for 1997).
Source:  Central Bank of Venezuela, 1997.G/AG/N/VEN/16
Page 3Supporting Table DS:1
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: Venezuela
REPORTING PERIOD: 1997
Measures exempt from the reduction commitment – "Green Box"
Measure Type Name and description of measure with reference to criteria in Annex 2 Monetary value of measure in
year in question (Bs)Data sources
12 3 4
General Services Research:  allocation of resources for management, research, personnel and projects 8,593,600,000 1 and 2
General Services Pest and disease control 725,100,000 1 and 9
General Services Comprehensive programme for the development and promotion of coffee growing 809,294,752 1 and 10
General Services Education and training:  agricultural extension activities 6,385,446,600 3 and 1General Services Irrigation and drainage:  studies, planning, construction and maintenance of irrigation and drainage works 4,200 ,000,000 1
General Services Land allocation programme 1,655,394,936 1
General Services Indigenous communities programme 45,000,000 1
General Services Support programme for Guarico State small producers 2,000,000,000 1
General Services Support programme for Sucre State small producers 2,506,800,000 1
General Services Frontier programme 490,000,000 1
General Services Collection centres and markets:  planning, technical assistance, construction and fitting out of public
markets and collection centres6,200,000,000 1 and 4
Domestic food aid Family allowance:  programme to cover nutritional deficiencies of poor school children by a monthly
monetary allowance144,884,100,000 5 and 8
Domestic food aid School nutrition programme:  designed to cover nutritional deficiencies of poor school children through
an allowance of one balanced meal per day39,739,790,486 5 and 8
Domestic food aid Snacks and canteens:  programme to cover nutritional deficiencies of poor school children by an
allowance of a maize loaf and a milk drink31,861,700,000 5 and 8
Domestic food aid Strategic food programme:  programme targeting poor people, directly subsidizing seven key agricultural
products17,984,900,000 1 and 4
Domestic food aid Mother and infant food programme (PAMI):  food programme for poor pregnant and nursing women by
providing milk on mother and infant medical visits31,188,500,000 6 and 7
1.  Ministry of Agriculture.  Sectoral Directorate-General of Planning and Policies.  Budget Division.
2.  National Fund for Agricultural Research.
3.  Fund for Training and Applied Research in Agricultural Reform.4.  Agricultural Supply and Services Corporation (CASA).
5.  Ministry of Education.  1997 Budget Law.
6.  Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MSAS).  1997 Budget Law.
7.  Mother and Child Programme Foundation (PAMI).
8.  Ministry of the Family.9.  Agricultural Health Agency.G/AG/N/VEN/16
Page 4Supporting Table DS:2
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: Venezuela
REPORTING PERIOD:  1997
Measures exempt from the reduction commitment – Special and Differential Treatment – "Development Programmes"
Measure type Name and description of measure with reference to criteria in Article 6:2 Monetary value of measure
in year in question (Bs)Data sources
12 3 4
Investment subsidies generally
available to agricultureAgricultural interest rate (commercial banks):  Set by the Central Bank of Venezuela at 85% of the
average of commercial rates of the country's six main banks235,571,110 1 and 5
Long-term investment credit as a
second-tier institutionAgricultural interest rate (Agricultural Credit Fund):  84% of the average of the commercial rate of the
country's six main banks602,837,354 2 and 4
Investment subsidies generally
available to agricultureRural interest rates:  interest rates set at 7% for rural loans granted by the Agricultural Credit Institute
(ICAP), a State finance institution17,041,261,000 3 and 4
Investment subsidies generally
available to agricultureTax exemption for producers for net gains from primary agricultural activities 12,842,685,501 6
1.  Central Bank of Venezuela.  Venezuelan Banking Association (ABV).
2.  Agricultural Credit Fund (FCA).3.  Agricultural Credit Institute (ICAP).
4.  Ministry of Agriculture.  Sectoral Directorate-General of Planning and Policies.  Budget Division.
5.  Office of the Superintendent of Banks.G/AG/N/VEN/16
Page 5Supporting Table DS:3
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Venezuela
REPORTING PERIOD:  1997
Measures exempt from the reduction commitment – Direct Payments under Production-Limiting Programmes – "Exempt Direct Payments"
Measure Type Name and description of measure with reference to criteria in Article 6:5 Monetary value of measure in
year in questionData sources
12 3 4
Note:  In 1997 there were no payments based on fixed area and yields or levels of production, nor livestock payments made on a fixed number of head.
Source:  Ministry of Agriculture, Sectoral Directorate-General of Agricultural Marketing.G/AG/N/VEN/16
Page 6Supporting Table DS:4
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Venezuela
REPORTING PERIOD:  1997
Calculation of the Current Total Aggregate Measurement of Support
Description of basic product
(including non-product specific
AMS)Product specific AMS (from Supporting Tables
DS:5 to DS:7 below)
(US$)Product-specific measurements of support
(from S upporting Table DS:8 below)Current Total AMS (aggregate) (US$)
12 3 4
White maize (corn) 186,716,997 186,716,997
Yellow maize 23,744,358 23,744,358
Rice 110,913,460 110,913,460
Sorghum 71,569,320 71,569,320
Milk -58,573,952 0
Non-product-specific AMS
(from Supporting Table DS:9)
Irrigation water 63,604,638 63,604,638
Current total AMS 456,548,773
Calculated at Bs 488.59 for US$1.  Central Bank of Venezuela.G/AG/N/VEN/16
Page 7Supporting Table DS:5
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Venezuela
REPORTING PERIOD:  1997
Product-Specific Aggregate Measurements of Support:  Market Price Support
Description of basic
productsCalendar year
1997Measure type(s) Applied
administered
price
(US$/TM)External
reference price
(generally from
AGST/…)
(US$/TM)Eligible
production
(TM)Associated
fees/leviesTotal market price
support
(US$)Data sources
12 3 4 5 6 7 8
((4-5*6)-7)9
White maize (corn) Minimum price 301 128 1,079,289 0 186,716,997 1 and 4
Yellow maize Minimum price 301 103 119,921 0 23,744,358 1 and 4
Rice Minimum price 301 161 792,239 0 110,913,460 1, 2 and 4Sorghum Minimum price 266 96 420,996 0 71,569,320 1 and 4
Milk Minimum price 280 321 1,431,072 0 -58,673,952 1, 3 and 4
1.  Ministry of Agriculture.  Sectoral Directorate-General of Agricultural Marketing.
2.  Andean Price Band System.
3.  Average international prices for the period 1986-1988.
4.  Calculated at Bs488.59/US$.G/AG/N/VEN/16
Page 8 Supporting Table DS:9
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  Venezuela
REPORTING PERIOD:  1997
Non-Product-Specific AMS
Measure type(s) Calendar year 1997 Non-product-
specific budgetary
outlaysOther non-product
specific support
(include calculation
details)
(US$)Associated fees/levies Total non-product-
specific support
(US$)Data sources
12 3 4 5 6
(3+4-5)7
Other support
Irrigation water subsidy 0 63,604,638 0 63,604,638 1, 2 and 3
1. Ministry of Agriculture.  Sectoral Directorate-General of Agricultural Infrastructure.
2. Hidroven.
3. Method of calculation:  Price applied to governmental irrigation systems (0.0125 Bs/m3) minus the average B tariff for water for industrial use charged in Venezuela during 1997 (36.67 Bs/m3) multiplied by
the volume of water supplied by governmental irrigation systems (847,697,486m3) during 1997.  Calculations made at exchange rate of 488.59 Bs/$.  Official Gazette of the Republic of Venezuela of
1 March 1993.
Notes:
1. No subsidies were applied to fertilizers or concentrated feeds in 1997.
2. This support measure concerns only the government irrigation systems existing in Venezuela.
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