How can we prevent Indian dairy farmers sinking into the morass they were in prior to Operation Flood?
As the government seems committed to globalisation the responsibility lies with farmers and our cooperatives. They ve to redouble efforts to produce more milk, raise productivity and ensure quality. We need a government policy. Support-import duties should serve national interests no less than that of the Western nations do. We need legislation in areas like animal disease prevention. We need to provide cooperatives with a level playing field legally, in terms of subsidies etc. We need to recognise that enacting laws to protect quality are a government s legitimate role, not an unnecessary obstacle to free enterprise. As to the wto s effect on India s milk producer, one should look at its effect on the world. If our dairy industry grows, India will be a threat to advanced dairying nations.
