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India FTAs & agriculture

Farmer unions demand scrapping of RCEP pact
15-Mar-2019 Business Standard
About 40 farmer unions demanded the government walk out of the negotiations over the RCEP free trade agreement, saying it would be disastrous for the domestic agriculture sector if the pact comes through.
India: Peasant movements to scrutinise and expose the dangers of RCEP trade agreement
8-Mar-2019 Via Campesina
Several prominent peasant movements in India are holding a ‘National level consultation on the Impact of RCEP and other tree trade agreements on farmers and farming in India’ on 13th March in New Delhi.
RCEP talks: Farmers, civil society bodies warn against obligations on patenting seeds, plant varieties
4-Mar-2019 The Hindu Business Line
Farmer and CSOs stressing that India should not agree to obligations with respect to IP on seed and planting materials at the RCEP negotiations as it hurt the livelihood of poor farmers.
Sign-on letter from India against IPR on seed
25-Feb-2019 Forum against FTAs
A mega free trade agreement, like RCEP that undermines farmers’ seed freedoms in a mega diverse country, with seed diversity and farmers’ knowledge is unacceptable, say over 50 groups and citizens
India must keep agriculture out of RCEP
24-Jan-2019 The Tribune
India’s foray into the RCEP treaty is being seen as a risky adventure. More so at a time when agriculture is passing through a terrible agrarian crisis and manufacturing sector continues to limp
Indian farm product tariffs curbing Australian exports, says Minister
1-Aug-2018 Network 18
Australia exported A$1.3 billion ($964 million) of agricultural goods to China in 2015/16, according to the latest figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
RCEP: India must uphold peoples’ rights and welfare
11-Jul-2018 APRN
Joining the RCEP would definitely have economic, social and environmental costs for India. Threats to the livelihoods of millions of farmers and workers due to cheaper imports are real and present danger.
States should be consulted before agreements are signed: CM
27-Jun-2018 Business Standard
The Chief Minister of Kerela, state of India said in regard to ongoing RCEP trade negotiations that the union government should consult states before signing international agriculture trade agreement and free trade agreements.
International trade pacts harming Kerala: Minister
23-Jun-2018 The Hindu
International trade agreements signed by the Centre without taking the States into confidence are posing a serious crisis to farmers in the state of Kerala, India Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar has said.
Could India be the Trump administration’s first FTA?
5-Apr-2018 Agri-Pulse
USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney has been to India twice, each time highlighting the opportunities to improve the trading relationship between the two countries.
Narendra Modi may decide on course of RCEP trade talks
14-Mar-2018 Narendra Modi may decide on course of RCEP trade talks
The development comes after a meeting convened by the prime minister’s office saw growing opposition to RCEP FTA from the secretaries of various government departments
Tea growers demanded renegotiation of ASEAN– India FTA agreement
14-Feb-2018 The Economic Times
Large portion of Indian tea sector is skeptical about outcome of free trade agreement of India with ASEAN countries. After the agreement comes into full effect, duty cut in import of the green beverage is feared to cause severe adverse impact on Indian tea production sector.
Over come RCEP, bring Apple under special category product: Rakesh Singha to Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, India
13-Feb-2018 WebIndia 123
CPI(M) member of Assembly Rakesh Singha on Monday urged the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur that he should take up the matter with the Union Government so that Himachali Apple could be brought under Special Category product to over come duty free import of apple to Indian markets.
Kerala fears zero tariff under RCEP may hit domestic dairy industry
9-Feb-2018 The Hindu BusinessLine
Kerala has raised concern over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement between 16 Asian-Pacific countries on the ground that it would impact the country’s dairy sector.
Include egg exports from India in proposed FTA with Oman: Livestock farmer
6-Feb-2018 The Economic Times
Livestock farmers have requested the Centre to include egg exports from India in the free trade bilateral agreement with Oman, which is expected during the visit of Prime Minister to Oman this month.
India-Cambodia deliberates on financial support in agriculture, pharmaceuticals
30-Jan-2018 Knowledge & News Network
India and Cambodia clinch a deal to work towards a Bilateral Investment Treaty which provides financial help to Southeast Asian nations.
‘Trans-pacific pact could hurt India’
29-Jan-2018 The Hindu
The book titled “Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: A framework for future trade rules?” has analyzed 5,544 pages of the TPP text says that if India joins TPP, norms may hit agriculture and manufacturing.
Agriculture Minister heads to India to resolve pulse tariff dispute, but warns ’megaphone diplomacy’ won’t work
10-Jan-2018 ABC News
Australia’s Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud will travel to India in an attempt to resolve a dispute over tariffs on Australian chickpeas and lentils.
Cheap Chinese apples sour J&K fruit
10-Jan-2018 DNA
China’s new zero-import duty policy threatens to sour Kashmir’s famed apples for farmers. China’s proposal which falls under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)’s ambit of a free-trade pact, could sound the death knell for the Rs 7,000 crore fruit industry.
Is India ready to face US heat on bilateral ‘trade imbalance’?
25-Oct-2017 Live Mint
There is a pattern in the US’ trade demands which seldom change, regardless of the administration in power.