SHIVAMOGGA: Amid concerns being raised by farmers and economists over the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, Davanagere BJP MP G M Siddeshwara has raised his voice against the proposal of his own party's government at the Centre, terming it "disastrous."
Siddheshwara's opposition follows thumbs down from areca growers and milk producers of the region to the RCEP. The RCEP is a proposed FTA between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its six FTA partners - China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand - as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Look East Policy.'
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The Centre is of the view that RCEP is expected to provide market access for India's goods and services and encourage greater investments and technology in India.
It would also facilitate India's MSMEs to effectively integrate into the regional value and supply chains.
On the other hand, India is not a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which is a grouping of 21 countries in the Asia Pacific region with an aim to deepen and strengthen economic and technological cooperation among member states.
Siddeshwara's father and late MP G Mallikarjunappa was known as 'Areca King.'
In separate letters shot off to Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, Siddeshwara stated that the entire country's agriculture, dairy and industrial sectors are at risk because of the RCEP deal.
"Over the last several days, economists have analysed the impact on India if the nation signed the RCEP agreement. The agriculture sector, which has its own contribution to the economy of this country and the dairy sector, will be severely affected by this decision.
About 55 per cent of the world's total production of areca nut is produced in India. The major states involving in areca nut production are Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal. Similarly, about 62 per cent of the total areca nut production in the country is in the state of Karnataka.
Arecanut is the main crop in many districts including my Lok Sabha constituency. If India signed the agreement, there would be an adverse impact on areca nut producers and they will fall in serious trouble. Areca growers contribute 14 per cent to country's Gross Agricultural Domestic Product (GSDP)," he said.
The MP said that if India had signed the RCEP, half of the country's lives would be jeopardised. Siddeshwara also voiced concern about all free trade agreements that India signed. "Considering that India has been adversely affected by all the free market agreements so far, it is my opinion that it is feasible to stay away from the deal or to try as much as possible to add areca nut and dairy products to the negative list in RCEP," he stated.