Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 12/12/11

The USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and the National Chicken Council have asked the Obama administration to begin consultations with India through the World Trade Organization regarding barriers to U.S. poultry exports to India.

“Despite being one of the 23 founding countries of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT, which became the WTO) in 1947, India has done as little as any nation to open its border to trade or to abide by multilateral trade rules,” the groups said in a news release. “We believe this is ironic, because the purpose of the GATT/WTO has been to liberalize trade through market access and fair and predictable trade rules.”

Specifically, the groups pointed to India’s ban since 2006 on poultry imports from any country that has reported any incident of avian influenza, irrespective of its pathogenicity.  “This protectionist posture is inconsistent with accepted international standards, and has no health or safety justification,” the groups asserted.

USAPEEC and NCC estimated the current Indian market for poultry at about 2.6 million metric tons annually, and growing at 8 percent to 10 percent per year. They predicted if trade with India were liberalized, annual U.S. poultry exports could exceed $300 million.

The groups have formally requested that USTR and USDA engage in consultations with India under article XXIII of the GATT and to initiate dispute settlement if India does not bring its import regime into compliance with international rules and standards.
 

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