Mysuru, Dec 8 (UNI) After prevailing upon the Union Government to drop out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) treaty, the Federation of All-India Farmers’ Associations has urged the MPs from Karnataka to prevail upon the Centre to terminate the other existing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) inimical to the livelihood of farmers in the country.
Referring to the Government of India being party to 10 FTAs, besides signing six other preferential trade agreements with different countries, the Federation has contended that reduction in import duties on account of trade agreements was bleeding Indian farmers.
India’s agricultural exports declined from US Dollar 43.23 billion in 2013-14 to US Dollar 33.87 billion in 2016-17, while the import of agricultural commodities, including plantation and marine products, increased from US Dollar 15.03 billion to US Dollar 25.09 billion, according to a memorandum submitted by the Federation to MPs Pratap Simha and Prajwal Revanna at a Tobacco Farmers’ meet in Periyapatna near here last week.