A ministers’ panel would meet here soon to consider concessions for the plantation growers of South India in the wake of concerns that the India-Asean trade-opening pact signed in August could harm their interests. “Senior ministers are expected to meet soon to discuss ways to resolve the farmers’ concerns,” a senior commerce ministry official said.
Following concerns over India signing an FTA with Asean, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had constituted a Group of Ministers to suggest ways for helping rubber, coffee, pepper and black tea plantation sectors. Though these products have been included in the ‘Sensitive list’ of the agreement providing for a sufficient tariff protection to the domestic growers, apprehensions about the FTA impact were expressed in the southern states, particularly Kerala.
