dairy sector outside FTA negotiations purview Karnataka Cooperative Milk thar170% of the milk had ~o be Producers' Federation (KMF) exported. EU at present has New Delhi, March 3: The toldFE. stocks of Skim Milk Powder country's two major dairy co- Currently the inlport duty (SMP) of about 4.2 lakh tonne, operatives have urged the on Skim Mtlk Powder (SMP) is which is to be exported. government to keep dairy 15% whileincaseofbutteritis Following the operation products outside the ongoing ashighas40% . flood launched in 1980s, the trade negotiations with vari- GCMMF, also known as dairy cooperative network ous blocs including hugely :A.rnul', and KMF, which sells includes 254 cooperative milk surplus regions such as its products under 'Nandini' milk processing units, 177 European .Union, Australia brand, had daily processed 160 milk unions covering 346 dis- and New Zealand. lakh and 65lakh litres, respec- tricts and over 1,55,634 vil- Cooperatives say that any tiVely; of milk in FY16. While lage-level societies. More cut in import duties would Amul reported a turnover of than 15 crore farmers have have adverse impact the liveli- ~23,OOO crore, KMF reported been brought under the am- hood of 15 crore farmers asso- sales of 'HI,779crorelastfiscal. bit of village level dairy co- ciatedwithmilkprocurement. A couple of years back, In- operatives who have around Inacommunication to'com- dia's self-sufficiency index in 650 lakh litres daily process- merce ministry; R S Sodhi, dairy products was mea- ing capacities. "Our cost of managing director of Gujarat the livelihood,". between the 10 Association of sured aslOl, while of New production is higher as large Cooperative Milk Marketing ' While calling upon the gov- South-East Asian Nations Zealand was reported at number of smallfarmersare Federation(GCMMF)hasstat- ernmenttoconsiderlongterm (ASEAN) countries and their more than 500, while that of associated with milk pro- ed, "India is producing more impact of providing import six Fl'A partners: Australia, Austr~ia was recorded as curement," said an official than 150 million tonne of milk dutyreductionondairysector, China, India,. Japan, New 125. This implied that New with National Dairy Devel- valued at over ~6 lakh crore Sodhi has stated that neces- Zealand and South Korea. .Zealand and Australia have opment Board, the apex body which is more than any other sary action should be taken "If cheaper imports of milk huge surplus milk output. of cooperatives. agricultural crop production against providing duty con- products are allowed, we will According to US depart- Out of total annual milk including wheat arid rice. . cessions and keep dairying be hit hard. Cooperatives' ment of agriculture report, production of 160 million '~lowing any import of completelyoutofambitoffree overhead costsaremuchhigh- New Zealand with a surplus of tonne, around 50% is market- dairyproductsintolndiaata trade agreement with the Re- erthanforeign or private play- milk production is likely to ed. Cooperatives and private concessionaldutyratewould gional Comprehensive Eco- ers as we have commitment to witnessaonepercentincrease sector have a share of 50% of be directly affect more than nomic Partnership (ReEP), a buyallthemilkbroughttoprO' in milk production to around the marketable surplus and 15 million families who are mega-regional economic curement centres," Rakesh 21.6 million tonne in the cur- the rest is still to be sold by un- dependent on same milk for agreement being negotiated Singh, managing director, rent year out of which more organised sector players.