A proposed India-EU free trade agreement has been opposed by the Indian dairy industry at large, according to a report in The Hindu Business Line.
«This will rob the domestic dairy industry and 80 million farmers that are connected to it, from their rightful access to a growing market within India,†said RS Sodhi, MD, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, in a quoted press release.
«It does not make sense that now dairy trade will be opened up to unfair competition from subsidised European exports under this free trade agreement, just when it shows potential to grow into a vibrant industry,†he said.
Farmer body Bharatiya Kisan Union is also opposed to the proposed trade pact which, it claimed, would benefit the EU more, as more than 60% of Indian farm exports already go to the EU duty free.
Source: Â FoodBev