India has not given any duty concessions to the UK under the free trade agreement on agri commodities that could adversely affect domestic farmers, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Friday.
Welcoming the pact, that was signed on Thursday, he said farmers' interests have been protected fully and in fact, it will have a "very" positive impact on the sector as it would boost farm exports.
The pact will provide duty-free access to 99 per cent of Indian exports to the UK.
"No (duty) concession has been given in the agreement for those things whose import could have an adverse effect on our farmers," he said.
India has kept commodities like potato, onion, tomato, garlic, peas, wheat, rice, maize, black gram, gram, urad, moong, lentil, kidney beans and pigeon peas and other grains which are widely produced in the country out of the purview of this agreement.
Agri items such as oilseeds like soybean, groundnut, mustard, and nuts too are in the negative list.
"It means that these commodities will not come to India cheaper from the UK, so the economic interests of farmers have been protected," he explained.
