Among current Asian WTO members, India, Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea maintain state trading for some imported agricultural commodities. A second set of issues that the negotiators will confront involves market access. Here the political interests of importers and exporters largely diverge. Because tariffs on agricultural imports are typically higher and vary more across commodities than those levied on manufactures, they will be at the top of the market access agenda in agriculture. The problem is twofold, involving the overall levels of access on the one hand and the administration of the TRQ on the other.
Exporters seek increases in market access for the most part.
The administration of the TRQs, however, typically generates rents and often creates a rentier constituency including exporters with privileged access to the restricted market that oppose further liberalization. In some instances the situation is further complicated by the presence of state trading authorities who can impose further distortions in the market. A related market access issue is the removal of exceptions to tariffication, notably for rice in Japan and South Korea. Market access also involves the issue of special safeguards. Governments that negotiate trade agreements typically insist on safeguard provisions as an insurance mechanism against import surges and disruption of domestic production.