(a) whether the Government has signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on milk and its products with any country;
(b) if so, the details of such countries;
(c) whether any such FTA has been signed with New Zealand and Australia; and
(d) the details of the steps proposed by the Government to protect domestic dairy farmers?
THE MINISTER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) to (b): Government has not signed any Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on milk with ASEAN, Japan and Korea. However, market access has been provided on some milk products like buttermilk, yogurt and some varieties of cheese in FTAs with ASEAN and Japan.
(c): India has not signed any FTA with New Zealand or Australia.
(d): In order to protect the interest of dairy farmers as well as promote dairy in the country, Government of India is implementing various schemes, namely, Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Programme for Dairy Development, Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme, Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund, Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities, National Livestock Mission and Livestock Health & Disease Control scheme.
******