Dairy major Amul has welcomed the Government's decision to opt out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP saying that it was a step towards achieving the aim of doubling farmer's income & protecting the interests of around 10 crore dairy farmers in the country.
PM Modi refused to join the RCEP because India's concerns about its own small & medium businessmen and farmers remained unanswered.
Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), RS Sodhi said, "It is a welcome decision & has given confidence to 10 crore dairy farmers. Government has done what they had promised. Despite the pressure from other 15 partner nations, Centre decided to safeguard the interests of India's small & marginal dairy farmers. This will encourage farmers to continue investing in dairy farming".
It is important to mention that GCMMF is the marketer of Amul brand of dairy products.
Farmers were worried that dairy products could be dumped from milk-surplus nations like Australia and New Zealand, if India joined the deal.
Sodhi also said, "Ever since the discussion on RCEP had started, there were uncertainty on the future of dairy sector. We had observed that investments by dairy farmers was dropping. But the latest decision has cleared the air about the uncertainties & has given confidence to small farmers to stay invested in dairying".
Amul and many other dairy & farmers' bodies, including National Dairy Development Board had raised objections against making dairy part of the RCEP negotiations.
Sodhi further told that, "Amul, on behalf of 36 lakh milk producers in Gujarat, has thanked Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his excellent leadership in protecting 10 crore milk producer families of India. It also appreciated the vision & resolve of Prime Minister for supporting domestic milk producers against the flood of imports of dairy products from Australia and New Zealand under the proposed RCEP".
