Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that agricultural products made in "good respectable quantities" are not dependent on imports has been kept out of the US-India trade agreement.
"These items there's absolutely zero concession, and continue to have the same treatment as before even after the FTA," Goyal said.
The goods he mentioned included meat, poultry, all dairy products, GM food products, cereals like rice, wheat, sugar, soya meal, corn, millets like jowar, bajra ragi, kodu, amaran, fruits like Banana, strawberries, cherries, citrus fruits, pulses, like green pea, kabuli chana moong, oil seeds, malt and its extracts, non alcoholic beverages, certain animal feed, groundnut, honey, non-alcoholic beverages, flour and meals, starch, essential oils, ethanol for fuel, tobacco,
"What's left? Where is the fear?," Goyal said, with regards to concerns on how the agreement may affect the interests of Indian farmers.
As per Goyal,the overall exports from farm produce from India and marine products is about Rs. 5 lakh crores ($55 billion), and India continues to import produce worth about Rs. 2.7 lakh crore ($30 billion).
"There are a few items that have some shortages, and if we allow those items to come in, who is the beneficiary, the consumers, who is under loss, nobody," Goyal said regarding the items that will be imported.
He also said that the centre was measured in implementing these agreements stating that it is ensuring price protection and giving producers enough time to adjust to the FTA.
"There is a shortage, we don't have enough production, there is a demand. While opening up we have been very calibrated, even in those demands. Making sure there's enough transition period, making sure prices are protected in India for Indian production," the Commerce Minister said.
"It's a basically carefully thought out strategy in consultation with farm organisations with the line ministries which will ultimately help the Indian economy and the Indian farmer both prosper," he added.
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