The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) is a coalition of national organizations advocating for a freer and fairer international trade environment for the agriculture and agri-food sector.

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CAFTA's members include farmers, ranchers, processors, producers, and exporters from major trade sectors such as beef, pork, grains, oilseeds, sugar, pulses, life sciences and soy.

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A fair and open international trade environment for agri-food is in Canada’s economic interest. Agri-food is responsible for 1 in 9 jobs in Canada, and the majority are in export-based agri-food. Canada exports some $100 billion in agriculture and food products per year More than half of our agricultural production is exported or processed to be exported.

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CAFTA supports the relaunch of CEPA discussions with India, which is a vital destination for Canadian agricultural products like lentils and peas. We consider renewed engagement on trade to be an important step toward greater market stability, lower barriers, and new opportunities for Canada’s agri-food exporters. Eliminating or reducing tariffs could significantly increase exports and provide substantial economic benefits for Canadian farmers.

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Currently India has food tariff policies and non-tariff barriers that limit trade and growth of the sector for Canadian agricultural and agri-food producers. A successful trade agreement with India would allow Canadian farmers to more fully benefit from the economic opportunities offered by the growing nation as well as allow Indian consumers to benefit from high-quality and lower-priced Canadian exports.

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We should be clear about what constitutes success. India has traditionally been a difficult partner to negotiate with. Further, India often plays a “spoiler” role at the World Trade Organization, preventing other countries from moving forward with plurilateral agreements as a way of exercise influence through what we believe is misuse of the WTO’s consensus-based decision-making process.

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However, there are reasons to think that India could change its strategic approach. The country has been affected by tariffs imposed by the current US administration. It is therefore looking to deepen relationships with other countries such as Canada. It is too early to see how this will play out in negotiations, but the changing strategic environment means new approaches may be possible. Also, India’s ongoing discussions with the EU may well inform their approach to discussions with Canada.

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The government should be open to broad discussions that provide the space for India to make trade offs that benefit Canadian agri-food. In this context, CAFTA is of the opinion that improved access for Canadian agri-food is a necessary condition for a CEPA with India to be in our national interest.

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Given the largely hortatory nature of text concerning sustainable trade in agriculture in the recent cases of the Indonesia CEPA and the Ecuador FTA, we do not see the need for such language in this and future agreements.

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​Michael Harvey, 

Executive Director