Thiruvananthapuram, July 6 (UNI) The Kerala Government is committed to ensuring that international trade agreements do not adversely affect dairy farmers, said State Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal.
Any decision to import milk and dairy products would negatively impact dairy farmers and cooperatives in Kerala, the Minister cautioned yesterday.
While stressing the need to remain vigilant against such Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), the Minister also highlighted the importance of technological advancements to counter their effects.
Flagging off a mobile veterinary unit at Kottarakkara, he said “Each unit will have one veterinary surgeon and a driver-attendant. Farmers can call the toll-free number 1962, and the vehicle will reach their doorstep. Payments for services can be made via QR code.”
Earlier, Minister for Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani stated that the proposed Free Trade Agreement between India and the United States would devastate Kerala’s dairy farmers and cooperatives.
“The agreement would directly impact marginal dairy farmers and cooperatives. The dairy sector is a crucial source of livelihood for thousands of farmers in the state,” she said.
She pointed out that the draft FTA contains several provisions that could severely harm small-scale dairy farmers in India, the world’s largest milk producer.
In a memorandum submitted to the Union Ministry of Commerce, she urged the Central Government to take necessary steps to prevent serious adverse impacts on farmers.
The memorandum highlights that the proposed duty concessions on dairy products- produced at significantly lower costs in Western countries due to advanced technologies in industrial dairy farming- could lead to the collapse of the domestic dairy sector if such products flood the Indian market.
She also noted that American dairy products often involve the use of synthetic growth hormones, which are widely opposed in Kerala’s food culture.
Introducing foreign competition into an already strained sector- struggling with rising production costs and climate-related challenges would be catastrophic for local farmers, she warned.
The Minister further stated that unless the dairy sector is excluded from the FTA, or unless strict biosecurity standards and consumer protection measures are enforced, any relaxation of import duties cannot be justified.
The memorandum expresses hope that the Central Government will consider the unique circumstances and needs of individual states like Kerala while negotiating such agreements.
