Stakeholder discussion with the Meat Industry on India-UK Trade Agreement

Trade Promotion Council of India, in collaboration with ICRIER, organised a Stakeholder Consultation with the Meat industry to discuss the India-UK Trade Agreement on January 31, 2022. The discussion aimed to understand the perspectives of stakeholders on the meat sector’s  potential, barriers to trade with the UK, and possible implications of liberalising the sector to imports from UK under the agreement.

On January 31, 2022, Trade Promotion Council of India organised a Stakeholder Consultation with the meat industry to discuss the India-UK Trade Agreement in partnership with ICRIER.

Animal products are a significant contributor to India’s agri exports, which include buffalo meat, sheep/goat meat, poultry products, animal casings, milk and milk products, honey, etc. Buffalo meat accounts for a major share of India’s animal exports It’s main markets are Vietnam Social Republic, Malaysia, Egypt Arab Republic, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. 

This session was designed to determine the perspectives of stakeholders on the meat sector’s export potential and how the concern areas that have impacted meat trade between India and the UK can be addressed. Some of the focus areas under discussion were as follows:

● Current trends, projected growth, and trends in Indian meat market

● Strengths of the Indian Meat industry and its export potential, in developed markets like the U.K across segments.

● Scope for investment in meat processing industry in India.

● Prospects of imports of various meat products (fresh/processed) into India.

● Tariff/non-tariff barriers/product bans deployed by India and the UK in the sector and their impact on trade.

● Practical issues in certification, procedures, testing, etc.

Following is the list of panelists who were a part of the discussion:

• Mohammed Ather, Managing Partner , Azan International
• Simranjeet Singh, CEO, M.K. Trading
• Mohd    Shariq, CEO, Al Dua Overseas
• Najimudeen E,  CEO, Amroon
• Dr Mudasir Ahmad, GM QC/QA, Mirha Exports
• Payal  Kaur, International Sales Head, Al-Hassan Overseas Pvt Ltd
• Saleem VI, MD, Amroon
• Abu Zafar, Director Sales, Amroon
• Sasti Kumar, Director, Ponne Products Exports
• Tariq Shafiq, GM Exports, HMA Agro Industries Ltd
• Zubair Nagani,   Director, M.U.N. Agro
• Bushran Shahid, Director, Zakariya Agro
• Tuba Qureshi, Rustam Foods

Dr Arpita Mukherjee, Professor, ICRIER represented the prominent policy think tank at these discussion and the session was moderated by Virat Bahri, Deputy Director, Media & Corporate Communications, Trade Promotion Council of India.