Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Farmer's Union, the Farmers' Workers Union and the Coordinating Committee of the Indian Farmers' Union staged protests in front of the Red Cross Society denouncing the Central Government's decision for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement.
Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Farmer's Union, the Farmers' Workers Union and the Coordinating Committee of the Indian Farmers' Union staged protests in front of the Red Cross Society denouncing the Central Government's decision for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement.
They protested on behalf of the Co-ordinating Committee of the Indian Agricultural Councils, denouncing the Asia Pacific Region's Economic Co-operation Agreement. The Indian Government is talking about an economic partnership deal with Southeast Asian countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. If this agreement is passed, the import tax on many commodities based on agriculture will reportedly be permanently made as zero.
Farmers fear that with many countries being ready to trade their agricultural products in India, the dairy industry and plantation sector which produces crops such as cotton, tea and coffee can come under threat. If the Government works for the benefit of our peasants and workers through this agreement, foreign corporations can still bypass Indian courts and sue the Government of India. The deal will allow foreign investors to buy farmlands in India which Farmers Associations fear could lead to the destruction of large retail companies and local markets.