Activists belonging to various farmers’ organisations and NGOs working in the primary sector held protests demanding India’s withdrawal from the RCEP negotiations.

Alleging that RCEP would be detrimental to the interests of farmers in the country, members of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) raised slogans against the prospective free trade agreement.

“The price of skimmed milk powder in India is ₹260 a kilgram, as against ₹170 a kg in New Zealand, the largest milk producing country in the world,” an AIKSCC leader has said.

“They may not sign the agreement this time. But it will happen sooner or later,” Vemulapalli Venkataramaiah, the President of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sangam, said.