Nagi Reddy Welcomes Exit From RECP

AMARAVATI: Agriculture Commission Vice-Chairman MVS Nagi Reddy said that agriculture is a state subject while agriculture-related policies fall under the Centre’s jurisdiction and welcomed India’s exit from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Speaking at the YSR Congress party central office in Tadepalli on Tuesday, he said minimum support price for agricultural produce, agriculture loans, imports and exports and other important issues fall under the jurisdiction of the Centre.

Subabul farmers and other cultivating pulses are facing a crisis due to bulk imports. Groundnut crop is the largest cultivated crop in the state after paddy. So there is a crisis also in the oilseeds sector due to imports, he said.

Nagi Reddy said the RCEP was formed in 2012 in which our country is a member of all the major countries that met 30 times so far. The final meeting was held on November 4, in which our country exited from the trade forum of the RECP without entering into an agreement taking the stand that indigenous farmers should not face crisis due to imports.

We congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government for the move, he said. Indian agriculture sector would face severe crisis if the country allows imports of processed foods, pulses and other agricultural products from countries like China.

The aim of the free trade agreement is that there would be no tax on any exports or imports between the countries. Hence it was right on the part the Centre to step out of the agreement, he said and added that the Centre should take cognizance of the views of the states when such major decisions are taken regarding agriculture and trade.

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