India is set to sign RCEP agreement involving 16 countries for business and trade.
PASHUDHAN PRAHAREE NETWORK ,October 11, 2019
Hundreds of women from south Gujarat, associated with the dairy industry, are planning to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and request exemption for the industry from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. They maintain that import of milk powder and dairy products would affect their livelihood.
India is set to sign RCEP agreement involving 16 countries for business and trade. People associated with dairy industry say India’s plan to import milk powder and dairy products from Australia and New Zealand at cheaper rates under the RCEP would hit the domestic industry.
Jayesh Delad (Patel), director of Sumul Dairy, said, “There are over 70,000 women involved in dairy farming in Surat. Their livelihood will be affected. The price of our local milk powder is Rs 240 per kg, while imported milk powder would be sold at Rs 125 to Rs 140 per kg. We have created awareness among women associated with the industry and requested them to write to the PM to exempt dairy products from RCEP.”
Ghanshyam Patel, chairman of Bharuch Milk Union, said, “We informed the mandali chairman to request all the women to write to the PM, requesting exemption of dairy products from RCEP. There are over 50,000 women in Bharuch district with the industry.”
