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Journalism of Courage
India is expected to press for greater market access for its agri products,particularly mangoes,pomegranates and litchis,and raise the visa issue during a meeting with a top US official here tomorrow.
These issues are likely to come up during the bilateral meeting of commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma with US trade representative Mike Froman. Sharma is on a four-day visit to the country.
India hopes that issues that currently constrain effective market access of Indian agricultural goods including mangoes,pomegranates and litchis can be resolved soon, an official said. While India has been seeking market access for exports of litchis to the country,the matter is stuck with the US Environmental Protection Agency that is raising issues of Maximum Residue Limit of sulphur-di-oxide. Although the US has allowed import of Indian mangoes in April,2007,the proposal is not working well due to pre-condition of irradiation imposed by the US.
India has been insisting that the responsibility of the pre-clearance inspection in this regard should be shifted to National Plant Protection Organisation.
On the visa issue,Sharma may make a case for doing away with protectionism specially with regard to free movement of professionals in addition to goods.
India has been expressing its concern on protectionist measures,including visa related impediments that has affected the mobility of our professionals particularly in IT sector to the US, the official said.
