Trade officials in India are making policy changes in an effort to comply with a 2015 World Trade Organization ruling that found its ban on U.S. imports of poultry meat, eggs, and live pigs violated international rules. Pro Farmer’s First Thing Today says a key aspect of the WTO’s decision found that India’s ban failed to separate disease-free areas and low-disease areas, which is a violation of WTO sanitary rules. The proposed changes are an attempt by India to meet those regulations. The amendments include screening poultry imports according to WTO standards, recognizing the concept of disease-free areas, and conforming its recognition of disease-free areas to the specified international health codes. U.S. officials are studying the proposed changes and were not ready to make public comments yet. Earlier this year, the U.S. asked the WTO board to sanction $450 million in retaliatory trade sanctions until India complied with the 2015 ruling.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.