RESTRICTED  
  
G/AG/W/103/Add.1  
 
4 February 2013  
(13-0591)  Page: 1/4  
Committee on Agriculture    
 
 RESPONSES TO POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS UNDER THE REVIEW PROCESS 
COMPILATION OF RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS RAISED DURING THE COMMITTEE 
ON AGRICULTURE MEETIN G ON 20 SEPTEMBER 20121 
Addendum 
 The present addendum to paragraphs 21, 30 and 31(b)(i) of G/AG/W/103 includes the 
written responses by Tunisia, Dominican Republic and Honduras.2 A comprehensive version of the 
compilation document G/AG/W/103 containing all questions and responses will be issued once all 
outstanding written responses have been provided by Members.  
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 II. POINTS RAISED IN CONNECTION WITH INDIVIDUAL NOTIFICATIONS 
A. Imports Under Tariff And Other Qu ota Commitments (Table MA:2) 
1. Tunisia (G/AG/N/TUN/43) 
(a) Tariff and other quotas – Tariff quota fill 
21. Question by Canada: Canada notes that th e fill rate for the beef TRQ in 2011 is 
about 16%. Could Tunisia please explain why there is such a low fill rate? 
First of all, it should be emphasized that TRQs for products subject to import tariff quotas are 
allocated in accordance with the TRQ administration procedures laid down in Decree No. 96-1119 
of 10 June 1996. 
Pursuant to this Decree, the Minister of Trade publishes a TRQ opening notice establishing the 
tariff quota allocation procedure, the conditions of admissibility of applications, and the time-limits 
for submitting them. 
As regards 2011, actual imports corresponded to the requests made by importers. C. Domestic Support Commitments (Table DS:1) 
5. Dominican Republic (G/AG/N/DOM/18/Rev.1 and G/AG/N/DOM/20) 
(a) Annex 2 (Green Box) – General services :  marketing and promotion services 
30. Questions by the United States: 
(a) The United States notes from G/AG/N/DOM/18/Rev.1 and 
G/AG/N/DOM/20 that the Dominican Republic notified the rice production 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights or obligations under the WTO. 
2 Paragraphs 19, 31-34 and 38(b) of the compilati on of questions docume nt G/AG/W/98 refer. G/AG/W/103/Add.1 
 
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  and marketing programme in Supporting Table DS:1 as marketing and 
promotion services.  The United Stat es also notes that the Dominican 
Republic's response to the United St ates' question in June 2012 that this 
measure does not distort the market and has no influence on the price 
received by producers.  Please pr ovide a detailed explanation of the 
programme's objective and how the programme is implemented.  If the notified programme covers multip le programmes, please list all 
programmes. 
The programme's objectives are to maintain price stability for production chain 
participants through indirect intervention to control extreme fluctuation between supply and demand, and the fair regulation of production and marketing. The 
programme was designed with a view to ensuring fair profit margins for producers, 
processors and traders. The programme does not cover multiple programmes; there is only one: the "pignoración" programme. 
(b) The United States also notes that budgetary outlays for the rice 
production and marketing programme fluctuated significantly from 2008 
to 2011, ranging from RD$243 million to RD$600 million.  Please explain 
what causes the significant fluctuat ion in programme expenditures from 
year to year. 
The fluctuation has been caused by the rice sector's ever increasing 
self-sufficiency, with the country producing more rice than it consumed during the 
years in question, which means that the budget lines destined for this area have 
decreased. It should be noted that the rice sector has invested heavily in structures, machinery and technology, which has made it possible to improve 
cereal quality and productivity and obtain high yields, and that private banks have 
increased their funding portfolio for the agricultural sector. 
(c) The United States understands that  the Dominican Republic's rice 
production and marketing programme is  aimed at small and medium-sized 
producers, which account for more th an 50 per cent of national rice 
production (paragraph 60(b) of G/ AG/W/96 refers). Please confirm 
whether the benefits of the programme are generally available to all rice 
producers or only to "small and medium-sized" producers. 
The benefits of the programme are availabl e to all producers, more than 50% of 
which are "small and medium-sized". 
(d) In addition, the United States under stands from the Dominican Republic 
that the "pignoración" is not notified as part of the rice production and marketing programme.  The Domini can Republic indicated that the 
"pignoración" programme's objectiv e is to ensure rice producer 
profitability (paragraph 60( c) of G/AG/W/96 refers). 
(i) If the "pignoración" is not notified as part of the Rice production 
and marketing programme, where does the Dominican Republic 
notify the programme? 
The reply given previously must be corrected, as the "pignoración" 
programme is indeed included under  the subheading "Marketing and 
promotion services" with the title "Promotion of rice production". 
(ii) Please confirm that the programme operates by allowing rice 
producers to obtain an interest-fr ee loan equivalent to 70 per cent 
of the value of that deposited in specified warehouses. 
Rice producers obtain loans under normal conditions for up to 70% of the 
value of the production deposited in specified warehouses. G/AG/W/103/Add.1 
 
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  (iii)  The United States also understands  that the government pays the 
storage costs, including insurance and requests the Dominican Republic to indicate if, and wher e, government outlays for storage 
costs and insurance are possibly otherwise notified in the 
Dominican Republic's domestic support notifications. 
Storage costs and insurance are included under the same subheading 
"Marketing and promotion services", with the title "Promotion of rice 
production". 
(iv) Please identify any other aspect s to the "pignoración" programme 
requiring government outlays beyond those for storage costs and 
insurance. 
The programme does not involve any outlays other than those mentioned. 
(v) Please provide annual government outlays for the "pignoración" 
during the period covered by no tifications G/AG/N/DOM/18/Rev.1 
and G/AG/N/DOM/20 (2008 to 2011). 
The outlays are those which appear under the subheading "Marketing and 
promotion services" with the title "Promotion of rice production". 
6. Honduras (G/AG/N/HND/32/Rev.1) 
(a) Annex 2 (Green Box) – General servic es: extension and advisory services 
31. Question by: 
(a) Question by the United States: The United States appreciates Honduras' 
explanation of how its programmes are categorized. Based on Honduras' 
explanation of the agribusiness development programme for small and medium-sized African palm producers,  it appears the programme may be 
categorized incorrectly. Honduras ex plains that the programme will sow 
7,206 hectares of African Palm and th at the programme will also introduce 
technical and financial assistance systems to contribute to the 
development of the sector. This does not appear to meet the criteria of 
paragraph 2(d) "extension and advisor y services, including the provision 
of means to facilitate the transfer  of information and the results of 
research to producers and consumers". 
(i) Please provide further detail on how this programme is 
implemented, specifically what  benefits are transferred to 
producers, how they are transferre d, and what costs, if any, the 
producer assumes. 
 Implementation: 
 Distribution of genetically modified (nursery grown) African palm 
plants certified for sowing (143 plants per hectare) and fertilizer, 
during the first two years of the plantation's development, through an administrative trust fund set up by the National Agricultural Development Bank (BANADESA) on the basis of credit approved by a 
Programme Credit Committee made up of representatives of the 
Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Central American Bank for Economic Integration and BANADESA. 
 The Programme provides technical assistance through three field 
technicians who are strategically located in the most productive areas covered by the programme: Colón; Atlántida; Yoro. G/AG/W/103/Add.1 
 
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   BANADESA monitors the management  and recovery of this credit. 
 Benefits transferred to producers: 
 Contribution amounting to 46% of the total cost of the plantation in 
the first two years of development. 
 These genetically improved plants are more resistant to the diseases 
commonly affecting the African palm. 
 Producers receive technical assistance to help them obtain higher 
crop yields. 
 Transferal of benefits: In-kind credit in the form of plants and fertilizer. 
 Costs assumed by producers: 
 Payment for plants and fertilizers is made to BANADESA as stipulated 
in the credit arrangements. 
 Producers assume the remaining 54% of the total cost of the 
plantation, i.e. the cost of labour and other necessary inputs. 
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