[Reader-list] Pact with ASEAN will hit fisheries, farm sector

[T Peter]

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*By Express News Service
27 Jul 2009 12:15:05 PM IST*



*‘Pact with ASEAN will hit fisheries, farm sector  *



THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Swathanthra Malsyathozhilali Federation
(KSMTF) and Focus on the Global South, a regional research and campaign
group, said that the Central Government’s decision to sign a Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) with ASEAN would have an adverse impact on the livelihoods
of thousands of people engaged the fisheries and agriculture sectors,
especially in the state.


Afsar Jafri of the Global South and T Peter of the KSMTF in a joint
statement issued on Sunday said that the FTA would hit the state more
severely because of the large number of people engaged in fishing, fish
vending and processing.

In recent years,  the fish stocks have depleted, due to over-fishing by
trawlers and foreign vessels and fish prices have crashed due to imports of
cheaper varieties forcing many to give up fishing.

Further liberalisation in fisheries sector to increase trade will
precipitate  the problems of the fishing community, the statement said.


The biggest threat will come from imports from Thailand, the world’s largest
exporter of farmed shrimps and Vietnam, the world’s eight  largest seafood
exporter.

The FTA is likely to permit zero tariff imports of sardines, mackerels,
anchovies and crabs. Cheaper imports of local popular varieties such as
cuttlefish, squid, shrimp, sole and pomfret will spell doom to fishing
communities, the statement said.

If the FTA allows Thai fishing vessels access the Indian territorial
waters, it would only intensify over-fishing and the damage to fish stocks,
especially given the lack of prudent national fish regulations and policies
in the country.

Malaysia’s palm oil industry has been a strong lobby for the FTA. Malaysia
is the world’s largest producer of palm oil and duty-free import of palm oil
into the Indian market would depress the prices of local products. Other
sections which will be affected in India include small-scale tea, coffee,
coconut, rubber and pepper farmers, the statement said.



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*Date:27/07/2009* *URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/27/stories/2009072759900500.htm*
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*‘Proposed trade pact will affect State’ *

Special Correspondent



Thiruvanathapuram: The Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation
(KSMTF) has expressed concern over the impact of the proposed trade pact
with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Kerala.



A release, quoting State president of the federation T. Peter, said the
proposed pact would lead to loss of livelihood in the fisheries and
agriculture sectors.



“The Cabinet approval, overlooking the objections raised by senior Ministers
like Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister
Vayalar Ravi, is against the spirit of the assurances given by the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to protect the livelihood of millions
of people engaged in the agriculture and fisheries sectors,” it said.



“In 2006, Congress president Sonia Gandhi in her then capacity as National
Advisory Council chairperson had written a cautionary letter to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh asking for a careful scrutiny of the ASEAN-India
Free Trade Agreement, given the agrarian crisis and its potential impact on
sectors such as edible oil, coffee, tea and pepper,” the release said.



“At a time of deep financial and agrarian crisis, many countries are today
shunning free trade policies. Mr. Manmohan Singh’s contention that India
will be isolated in the world economy if it does not sign the agreement is
not based on an assessment of ground realities,” the release said. It said
the federation would mobilise farmers, workers and other sections of society
against the proposed trade pact that would affect the lives of millions of
people across the country.