Malaysia's fear over FTA impact on rice industry unfounded - US official |
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Published
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Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:14
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KUALA LUMPUR (XFN-ASIA) - Fears that Malaysia's rice industry will be damaged if it agrees to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US is unfounded, said US trade representative Karan Bhatia.He said this is because Malaysia and US produce different types of rice.''I think there has been a misundertanding over this. Malaysia produces the longer grain type of rice which is different from the type produced by the US,'' Bhatia said.''We are not in competition with Malaysia in the rice market,'' he added.Recently, farmers, activists and opposition parties demanded a halt to US-Malaysia FTA negotiations which they say will damage the livelihoods of rice farmers.The Coalition Against the US-Malaysia FTA delivered a memorandum to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi calling on him to intervene, arguing that a possible reduction of import tariffs on US farm produce under the FTA would harm Malaysia's rice farmers.Meanwhile, Bhatia said concerns that US goods would ''swamp the local market'' in other sectors once the FTA is implemented are also without basis.''Our experience with FTA members has not played out that way. On the contrary, member countries have become more efficient,'' Bhatia pointed out.john.tan@xinhuafinance.com
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Malaysian rice farmers, activists, demand halt to free trade talks with US 