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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Pig blood, chicken poop, and cat meat: The things US cows eat are why India doesn't want to import 'non-veg' milk
India and the United States are very close to ink a trade deal, according to US president Donald Trump . However, a major sticking point in the trade deal is India's reluctance to allow American dairy imports due to concerns over the feed practices used in the US, specifically the use of animal-based products. What is 'Non-Veg Milk'? The term 'non-veg milk' is being used in India to describe milk from cows that are fed animal-derived products. These include meat meal, blood meal, and fats from rendered animal parts — practices that are allowed under US regulations. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Management Design Thinking Product Management Data Science Degree healthcare MBA Digital Marketing Cybersecurity Data Analytics MCA Others Healthcare Leadership Project Management Technology CXO Data Science Operations Management Finance Public Policy Artificial Intelligence others PGDM Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK GMPBE India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK General Management Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details For India, where vegetarianism is deeply rooted in both culture and religion, this is a red line. According to the 2023 World Atlas, about 38% of Indians follow a vegetarian diet, and dairy — especially milk and ghee — is used widely in Hindu religious rituals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo 'Imagine eating butter made from the milk of a cow that was fed meat and blood from another cow. India may never allow that,' said Ajay Srivastava of the Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI), speaking to PTI. India's Demand: Strict Certification India has insisted that any imported dairy products must be accompanied by certifications ensuring that the animals were never fed with animal-based feeds. Live Events The required certification must guarantee that: 'The source animals have never been fed with feeds produced from meat or bone meal including internal organs, blood meal, and tissues of ruminant or porcine origin — except milk and milk products.' What Are US Cows Fed? Multiple reports suggest that American dairy cows may be fed a controversial mix including: Meat meal from pigs, chickens, horses, or even dogs and cats Blood from pigs and horses Tallow (rendered fat from cattle) Chicken feathers, bedding material, and droppings While there are safety regulations in place to prevent disease transmission, these feed practices remain a serious concern for India. The Economic Angle: Protecting Small Dairy Farmers Apart from cultural issues, the stakes are also economic. India's dairy sector is dominated by millions of small-scale farmers, many of whom rely on just 1–3 cows for their livelihoods. A State Bank of India (SBI) report warned that opening up the sector to US imports could cause Indian milk prices to fall by at least 15%, potentially inflicting annual losses of up to Rs 1.03 lakh crore to domestic dairy farmers. Currently, the dairy sector contributes around 2.5–3% to India's Gross Value Added (GVA), amounting to Rs 7.5–9 lakh crore. Any disruption is thus expected to severely impact rural income and livelihoods. With state elections approaching, the Indian government is also not expected to soften its stance on dairy imports.
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First Post
4 days ago
- Business
- First Post
What is ‘non-veg' milk? Why is it a sticking point in India-US trade deal?
India and the US are at odds over agriculture and dairy as they rush to finalise a trade deal before Donald Trump's August 1 deadline. Amid concerns over 'non-veg' milk, New Delhi is reportedly pushing Washington for a strict certification to ensure that the imported milk comes from cows that have not been fed animal-based products like meat or blood. But why? read more India is hesitant to import milk from US cows. File Photo/Reuters The trade deal between India and the United States has hit a roadblock. As talks continue, the two sides are struggling to find a common ground on agriculture and dairy. India is reportedly hesitant about allowing American dairy imports into the country due to cultural concerns over 'non-veg milk'. This comes amid US President Donald Trump's August 1 deadline to reach a deal with countries or face steep tariffs. Let's take a closer look. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What is 'non-veg' milk? India is pressing the US for a strict certification to ensure that the imported milk comes from American cows that have not been fed animal-based products like meat or blood. As per reports, India has deemed it a 'non-negotiable red line', citing religious and cultural concerns. Around 38 per cent of India's population identifies as vegetarian, according to a 2023 World Atlas report. Hindus use milk and ghee in religious rituals every day. 'Imagine eating butter made from the milk of a cow that was fed meat and blood from another cow. India may never allow that,' Ajay Srivastava of Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI), a New Delhi-based think tank, told PTI. India's Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying mandates veterinary certification for food imports. A condition to issue these certificates states: 'The source animals have never been fed with feeds produced from meat or bone meal including internal organs, blood meal and tissues of ruminant origin and porcine origin materials except milk and milk products.' The US has criticised this at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). What the US feeds its cows The feed for cattle in the US includes animal products. 'Cows are still allowed to eat feed that can include parts of pigs, fish, chicken, horses, even cats or dogs… And cattle can continue to consume pig and horse blood for protein, as well as tallow, a hard fat from rendered cattle parts, as a fattening source,' as per a 2004 report by Seattle Post-Intelligencer. While there are regulations on animal ingredients in cattle feed to prevent the spread of diseases, a mixture of bedding material, feathers, spilled feed and chicken droppings can be used as a low-cost feed additive, as per reports. A dairy farm worker is milking cows at Mancebo Holsteins in Tulare, California, US, July 24, 2018. File Photo/Reuters Why India is unlikely to concede on dairy New Delhi has banned the imports of dairy products from cows that were fed animal products. India, the largest producer and consumer of milk, may not agree to opening its dairy market to the US. The dairy sector feeds more than 140 crore Indians and employs over eight crore people. India's milk production was reported at 239.30 million tonnes during 2023-24, according to the Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2024. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'There is no question of conceding on dairy. That's a red line,' a senior government source told India Today TV earlier this month. Not just religious and cultural considerations, India also has to look at its economic aspects. According to a recent analysis by the State Bank of India (SBI), Indian dairy farmers could suffer annual losses of Rs 1.03 lakh crore if the sector is opened to American imports. The analysis underlined the impact on the income of small-scale dairy farmers, noting significant subsidies received by the US dairy industry. 'If the dairy sector is opened up, price of milk in India is likely to drop by at least 15 per cent which could cause potential annual loss of Rs 1.03 lakh crore to dairy farmers,' ANI reported, citing the SBI report. The dairy sector is important to India's rural economy, as it generates about 2.5-3 per cent of the national Gross Value Added (GVA), equivalent to Rs 7.5-9 lakh crore. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The government needs to make sure we're not hit by cheap imports from other countries. If that happens, the whole industry will suffer, and so will farmers like us,' Mahesh Sakunde, a farmer from Maharashtra, told Reuters. The US has reportedly termed India's insistence on not ceding ground on dairy and agriculture as an 'unnecessary trade barrier'. India's resistance stems from its efforts to shield small-scale dairy farmers. And it seems unlikely New Delhi will budge from its position. With inputs from agencies
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Draft procurement rules pit domestic telecom firms against foreign players that manufacture in India
Indian telecom equipment manufacturers are growing concerned about the sops being handed out to foreign telecom equipment manufacturers as global firms set up domestic assembly to deepen access to the country's growing telecom infrastructure. The dispute is playing out in meetings with the Department of Telecommunications, which is being asked to weigh two priorities: to increase domestic manufacturing by global firms like Ericsson, and to promote the growth of indigenous firms that eventually hope to compete with these companies. One sticking point has been foreign telecom gear makers like Ericsson's potential qualification as Class 2 suppliers under the 2017 Make in India procurement order, which guides government organisations to accept bids from manufacturers whose products are, to varying degrees, assembled and manufactured in India. The foreign firms are also seeking duty exemptions and relaxation for components that are either not made in India or made in a very small quantity. Since the majority of such components come in from China, domestic players have spied an opportunity to press their case in meetings in June with the DoT. The telecom department has issued de facto curbs against Chinese equipment across much of Indian telecom operators' infrastructure in the past. A key development has been draft changes underway at the DoT to 'local content rules for the telecom sector' under the 2017 public procurement rules that encourage domestic manufacturers, Ajay Srivastava, a former senior trade official and the founder of the Delhi-based Global Trade Research Initiative said in a June memo. 'Multiple reports [from NITI Aayog and a clutch of industry associations] indicate that India's limited component ecosystem poses challenges in achieving 50–60% local content in electronic/telecom products,' the DoT said in its June 3 notice, inviting firms to comment on the proposed changes. 'Recognising this constraint, the conditions for local content qualification also requires a review.' 'Multinational corporations (MNCs) like Cisco and Ericsson are lobbying India's DoT to ease local content requirements, as they struggle to qualify as Class-I local suppliers for government telecom tenders,' Mr. Srivastava said. 'The underlying issue is that most of the work performed in India is done on an outsourcing basis for their foreign parent companies. The parent companies retain ownership of intellectual property (IP) and earn the bulk of profits. For instance, Cisco's India operations follow a low-cost-plus model, earning a profit margin of only 5–10%, while the global Cisco business enjoys margins of around 65%. In practice, design and R&D work done in India is treated as work-for-hire, with profits and IP rights controlled by the foreign headquarters.' One senior industry executive told The Hindu that a possible solution could be 'differentiated credit systems where higher weight is given to Indian-owned IP and designs, domestic fabrication of critical components, and in-country software with IP assignment to Indian entities.' The executive asked not to be named as discussions are ongoing with the DoT.
India.com
4 days ago
- Business
- India.com
The Milk India Refuses To Drink: Why ‘Non-Veg Dairy' Is A Red Line In Trade Deal With US
New Delhi/Washington: In the backrooms of New Delhi's diplomatic zone, trade officials kept circling one issue that simply would not move. It was not fighter jets, data servers or farm subsidies. It was milk. Yes, milk. One of the biggest stumbling blocks in the India-U.S. trade pact is white, creamy and sacred to millions. And the problem lies not in how it is consumed, but how it is produced. Washington wants access to India's $16.8 billion dairy market, the largest in the world. It wants to sell its butter, cheese and milk powder to a country that churns out over 239 million metric tonnes of milk a year. But New Delhi is not opening that door. At the centre of India's resistance lies one demand – an assurance that the milk entering Indian homes comes from cows that were never fed meat, blood or animal remains. No exceptions. No compromises. Indian officials are calling it a red line. The idea of 'non-veg milk' does not sit well with millions of Indian households, especially vegetarians who see dairy as nutrition as well as ritual. Ghee is poured into sacred flames during prayer. Milk is bathed over deities. The concept of cows being fed pig fat or chicken remains crosses dietary boundaries and lines of faith. Trade experts struggled to explain this to Washington. 'Imagine eating butter made from the milk of a cow that was fed meat and blood from another cow. India may never allow that,' said Ajay Srivastava from the Global Trade Research Initiative in New Delhi. Despite U.S. claims that the concern is exaggerated, several American reports confirm the reality. A Seattle Times investigation documented how American cattle feed can legally include ground-up remains of pigs, horses and poultry. Even chicken droppings, known as poultry litter, sometimes make their way into the mix. The logic is economic – feed animals cheap and grow them fast. For Indian regulators, it is simply unacceptable. India's Department of Animal Husbandry mandates certification on all imported food items, including milk, to ensure no animal-derived feed is involved. This has long been criticised by the United States at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as a 'non-scientific barrier'. But for India, it is not about science but belief. In 2006, the Indian government formalised this belief in trade rules. It resulted into high tariffs – 30% on cheese, 40% on butter and a whopping 60% on milk powder. For countries like New Zealand or Australia, breaking into India's dairy space is nearly impossible. For the United States, it is a billion-dollar hurdle. India's dairy sector feeds over 1.4 billion people. It employs more than 80 million, many of them smallholder farmers. Cheap American imports, experts say, could collapse local markets. A report from the State Bank of India estimates an annual loss of Rs 1.03 lakh crore if U.S. dairy is allowed to flood in. That is nearly 2.5-3% of the country's entire Gross Value Added. And the risk is not theoretical. 'If American butter comes in cheap, our milk prices drop. What happens to the village woman who sells five litres of milk a day?' asks Mahesh Sakunde, a dairy farmer from Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Washington sees India's refusal to open up as 'protectionist'. But India's negotiators stood firm. 'There is no question of conceding on dairy. That is a red line,' said a senior Indian official. The United States exported over $8.2 billion worth of dairy last year. Gaining access to India's vast market could supercharge those numbers. But Indian officials are unwilling to allow milk from cows that ate meat to be offered at temple altars or poured into toddler cups. And so, while the two countries hammer out trade terms with hopes of reaching $500 billion in bilateral commerce by 2030, the dairy debate remains unresolved. It may seem like a small detail in a massive negotiation, but in India, this is sacred, culture and a line that will not be crossed.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Why 'Non-Veg Milk' From Cows Is Becoming A Trade Barrier For India And US
As India and the US are preparing to finalise an interim trade deal, agriculture and dairy prove to be sticky issues. India has drawn a line on opening these two sectors to the US as these may cause huge losses. The dairy sector feeds more than 1.4 billion people and employs over 80 million. Apart from this "non-veg milk" is causing contention. India is asserting that there should be strict certification delineating that imported milk comes from cows that have not been fed animal-based products such as meat or blood. India has termed this as a "non-negotiable red line" because of religious and cultural sensitivities. Milk and ghee are used in religious rituals in India everyday. "Imagine eating butter made from the milk of a cow that was fed meat and blood from another cow. India may never allow that," Ajay Srivastava of Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI), a New Delhi-based think tank, told PTI. The US has termed India's demands as an "unnecessary trade barrier". A senior government source in an interview with India Today TV earlier in July said that, "There is no question of conceding on dairy. That's a red line". "Cows are still allowed to eat feed that can include parts of pigs, fish, chicken, horses, even cats or dogs... And cattle can continue to consume pig and horse blood for protein, as well as tallow, a hard fat from rendered cattle parts, as a fattening source," The Seattle Times wrote. Other than that, there is poultry litter, chicken droppings, feathers and spilled feed that also be added, as that is cheap. The dietary choices of most Indians are vegetarian, and consumption of dairy that has come from cows that have been fed animal by-products do not match the religious beliefs of Indians. The US, which is a major dairy exporter, wants access to the Indian market, which is the world's largest milk producer and consumer. Agreeing to that would mean entry of cheaper US dairy products, which in turn would drive its domestic prices down and result in jeopardising the economic stability of farmers. "The government needs to make sure we're not hit by cheap imports from other countries. If that happens, the whole industry will suffer, and so will farmers like us," Mahesh Sakunde, a farmer from Maharashtra told Reuters. SBI has estimated the annual loss to be Rs 1.03 lakh crore if India opens its market to the US, ANI reported. India's Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying mandates veterinary certification for food imports, which ensures products are from animals that have not been fed bovine-related feed. The United States has criticised this at the World Trade Organisation. The sticky points in the US-India trade deal involve both economical and cultural elements.
