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agriculture | farmers | food

Korea completes draft for FTA with US
15-May-2006
Reducing or scrapping the 40 percent tariff on beef imports will be on the agenda at FTA negotiations with the US scheduled to start on June 5, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Monday, under first drafts Korea and the US have completed.
Integrate Indian farm sector globally? It would have disastrous consequences
12-May-2006 Economic Times
Presently, the ever growing number of FTAs without adequate protection for the agricultural sector is a matter of serious concern. This would jeopardise the food security of our country.
Imports of rice at issue in US trade negotiations with Korea
12-May-2006 Washington File
Rice, the staple food for much of Asia, will doubtless be a tough issue in negotiations on a US-South Korea free-trade agreement (FTA) and could be an issue in US-Malaysia FTA talks, US experts say.
Free trade pact not to hurt farmers
9-May-2006
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Congress president Sonia Gandhi that the proposed Indo-Asean free trade agreement (FTA) would not affect Indian farmers.
Free-trade agreement: Thailand rejects deal with South Korea
9-May-2006 The Nation
Thailand is the only Asean member not planning to sign the free-trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea and will thus lose export competitiveness, due to higher import tariffs.
Sonia’s ire on Indo-ASEAN free trade moves
7-May-2006
The Indian Government’s move to go in for more Free Trade Agreements with Asian countries has run into difficulties with Congress President Sonia Gandhi asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to "very carefully scrutinise" India-ASEAN FTA to safeguard interests of domestic farmers.
Vaile pushes for broad Chinese FTA
6-May-2006 ABC
Federal Trade Minister Mark Vaile says wheat and beef must be included in any Australian free trade agreement (FTA) with China.
South Korea, Asean to cut ag tarrifs for FTA
4-May-2006 Wisonsin Ag Connection
Under the deal, South Korea designated 200 agricultural products that will be exempt from tariff reductions due to their effect on local farmers
EPAs are a slap in the faces of poor countries, CSOs warn
3-May-2006 Public Agenda
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), currently negotiated being between African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACPs) and the European Union are set to further reduce incomes of farmers and agric-related employees by 50-60%, anti-EPAs campaigners have said.
Seoul to exclude products from trade deal
27-Apr-2006
South Korea’s chief negotiator to free trade talks with the United States said Thursday that Seoul will try to exclude "super-sensitive products" from the deal, an apparent appeasement to farmers vehemently opposed to the pact.
US ag groups mount support for Peru TPA
24-Apr-2006 Farm Futures
The Agricultural Coalition for US-Peru Trade, comprised of 58 agricultural organizations, sent a letter last week to every member of US Congress urging support of the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. The letter states that "PTPA sets a new and higher standard for future free trade agreements."
Korea pledges to protect rice market in FTA talks
24-Apr-2006 Korea Times
The Ministry of Finance and Economy said that it would exert all-out efforts to shelter the Korean rice market from an influx of US agricultural imports after the enforcement of the proposed Korea-US Free Trade Agreement.
Why farmers may block US-Korea FTA
21-Apr-2006 Asia Times
Those outside Korea tend to assume that negotiations for a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the United States are the perfect tool to weaken the South Korean addiction to agricultural protection.
US-Peru free trade deal a step back for development
20-Apr-2006 Oxfam America
International aid organization Oxfam criticized today’s signing of the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Washington, an agreement it says would do more harm than good for millions of Peruvians who live in poverty.
Sri Lanka FTA gives traders oily woes
18-Apr-2006 CNN-IBN
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Sri Lanka is costing Indian vanaspati-makers a fortune. With the Sri Lankan vanaspati flooding the Indian market, factories are shutting down, rendering hundreds of people jobless.
Seoul attempts to appease farmers
17-Apr-2006 IHT
The South Korean government may offer more incentives for farmers and their families in an attempt to curb protests over its negotiations with the United States for a free-trade agreement, South Korea’s chief negotiator said Monday.
Nesac urges caution over US FTA talks
17-Apr-2006 Bangkok Post
Thailand’s National Economic and Social Advisory Council has urged the government to delay free trade negotiations with the US on financial services and take intellectual property rights and agriculture liberalisation off the agenda.
Poorest farmers will need more help
14-Apr-2006 Bangkok Post
A failure to manage trade liberalisation and agricultural policy could make the financial plight of Thai farmers worse, warns Prapat Panyachatraksa, a former agriculture minister.
Peru farmers unite vs. FTA with US
13-Apr-2006
Peruvian farmers are organizing a march from Cusco to Lima to protest the free trade agreement with the US, the president of Peru’s National Agrarian Confederation, Antolin Huascar, stated Thursday.
First FTA victims in El Salvador
13-Apr-2006
With just 40 days in force, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US already has negative effects for the Salvadoran people, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) has denounced Thursday.