Daily Prelims Notes 10 May 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

10 May 2024

1. At WTO, India Calls for Focus on Real-Life Trade Issues

Subject: Economy

Sec: External sector

• Prioritization: India urges prioritization of real-life trade issues at the World Trade Organization (WTO) that impact developing countries.
• Key Issues Highlighted:
  • Access to finance and technology.
  • Bridging the digital divide.
  • Enhancing effective aid for trade.
  • Ensuring food security.
  • Addressing issues hindering digital development.
• Paper Submission:
  • India submits a paper titled ’30 years of WTO: how has development dimension progressed? – a way forward’ to the WTO General Council.
• Call to Action:
  • India calls upon WTO members to propose solutions for these issues to refocus on the development dimension of WTO.

Importance of Development Dimension:

• Core Objective: Development dimension has been integral to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO.
• Primacy to Development: Marrakesh Agreement preamble prioritizes developmental objectives of the organization.
• Defender of the Weak: WTO envisioned as defender of rights of weak and vulnerable members, advocating reason and equity.

MC13 Abu Dhabi Ministerial Conference:

• Unfinished Development Agenda: India notes substantial unfinished development agenda from MC13 Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration.
• Call for Strengthened Discussions: Seeks to strengthen discussions and debate on development issues in all regular bodies of the WTO.

By emphasizing real-life trade issues and the development dimension at the WTO, India seeks to encourage proactive discussions and solutions that address the needs of developing countries and promote equitable global trade.

Outcomes of MC 13 of WTO and Hits & Misses for India:

• Agriculture:
  • India’s Demand: Seeking a permanent solution to the public stock holding issue.
  • Outcome: No agreement reached, developed nations oppose due to potential impact on global food security.
  • Impact on India: No immediate threat due to ‘peace clause,’ shielding from legal challenges.
• Fisheries Subsidies:
  • India’s Demand: Curb harmful subsidies for distant water fishing.
  • Outcome: No outcome document regarding fisheries subsidies.
  • Impact on India: Retains policy space for artisanal fisheries.
• E-Commerce:
  • India’s Demand: Opposing continued exemption of Customs duties on e-commerce.
  • Outcome: Maintenance of tax breaks on electronic transmissions until 2026.
  • Impact on India: Impacts tax revenue collection, limits policy space for digital industrialization.
• Dispute Settlement Mechanism:
  • India’s Demand: Establishment of a fully functional dispute settlement system.
  • Outcome: Resolution to establish accessible dispute settlement system by 2024.
  • Impact on India: Aids in faster resolution of trade disputes involving India.

Marrakesh Agreement

The Marrakesh Agreement, signed in April 1994 in Marrakech, Morocco, established the World Trade Organization (WTO), marking a significant evolution in global trade governance. The agreement was the culmination of the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations (1986-1994), which aimed to extend the scope of trade liberalization to sectors not previously covered by General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) rules, such as services and intellectual property.

Core Objectives and Structure:

• Trade Liberalization: The agreement sought to reduce tariffs and other barriers to trade, aiming to foster a more open and fair global trading system.
• Dispute Resolution: It introduced a more structured process for resolving trade disputes between countries, with the establishment of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB).
• Monitoring and Transparency: The WTO was tasked with monitoring national trade policies, ensuring transparency, and providing a forum for trade negotiations.

Key Components:

1. Trade in Goods: Through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Marrakesh Agreement aimed to liberalize trade in goods by reducing tariffs and eliminating quantitative restrictions.
2. Trade in Services: The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) was introduced to extend the multilateral trading system to the service sector, addressing issues like access to foreign markets and national treatment.
3. Intellectual Property: The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) sought to establish common standards for protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights globally.
4. Agriculture and Textiles: Specific agreements were made to address the unique challenges and protections in agriculture and textiles, sectors that had been subject to extensive trade restrictions.

2. Trade dispute with India over sugar subsidies

Subject: Economy

Sec: External sector

1. Issue Raised by U.S. and Australia:

• Allegation: India’s sugarcane subsidy breaches WTO norms.
• Concern: Distortion of global trade due to excessive subsidy.

2. Contentions Presented:

• Submission: Paper to WTO’s Committee on Agriculture.
• Data Analysis: Four-year period (2018-19 to 2021-22).
• Claim: India’s sugar subsidies consistently exceeded 90% of production value.

3. Call for Discussion:

• Openness: U.S. and Australia express readiness to engage in talks.
• Objective: Evaluate India’s market price support and its impact on global sugar markets.

4. Methodology Used:

• Calculation Basis: Previous WTO panel’s recommendations.
• Focus Period: 2014-15 to 2018-19.
• Critique: India disputed the classification of FRP and SAP as market price support.

5. India’s Appeal and its Impact:

• Response: Appeal lodged against the WTO panel’s findings.
• Consequence: Prevented adoption of the panel report by WTO Dispute Settlement Body.

6. Data Insights Provided:

• Financial Figures: Market Price Support for 2018-19 to 2021-22.
• Magnitude: Exceeded $15.9 billion in 2018-19 and increased annually thereafter.
• Comparison: Well above the permissible 10% of production value.

7. Future Course of Action:

• Potential Dialogue: India and other WTO members.
• Focus Areas: Examination of subsidy impact and adherence to WTO guidelines.

What is WTO:

• Role: Only international organization regulating trade rules among countries.
• Establishment: Created in 1995, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
• Membership: Consists of 164 members, representing 98% of world trade.
• Decision Making: All decisions made through consensus; any member can exercise a veto.

Dispute Settlement in WTO:

• Bilateral Consultation: Initial step; if unsuccessful, either party can approach Dispute Settlement Panel.
• Panel Report: Can be challenged before the Appellate Body.
• Final Decision: Appellate Body’s decision is final, but currently unable to review cases due to vacancies.

Issues Raised in respect of subsidy given:

• Minimum prices for sugarcane and sugar.
• Fair and remunerative prices (FRP).
• State-specific higher minimum prices.
• Minimum Indicative Export Quota (MIEQ).
• Argument: India’s support exceeds the de Minimis level of 10%.

Way Forward and Impacts:

• Consultation: Bilateral talks key to dispute resolution.
• Impact Mitigation: No effect on existing sugar sector policies.
• Reforms: Continuation of reforms to enhance competitiveness.

Sugar Production in India:

• Importance: Second-largest producer and consumer globally.
• Economic Significance: Annual output worth approximately Rs. 80,000 crores.
• Employment: Supports around 50 million sugarcane farmers and 5 lakh workers directly.

WTO Agriculture Agreement:

• Purpose: Reducing agricultural support and subsidies.
• Provisions: Developed and developing countries to meet reduction commitments.
• Focus Areas: Market access, domestic support, export competition.
• Goal: Establish fairer trading system, improve livelihoods of farmers worldwide.

3. With 56.4% of India’s total disease burden linked to unhealthy diets, what new nutrition guidelines prescribe

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context:

• India’s premier nutrition research institute has published comprehensive guidelines on the diet of vulnerable groups, including pregnant and lactating women, and children and the elderly.

More on news:

• The guidelines issued by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, which works under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), also prescribe general principles such as reducing consumption of salt and highly processed foods (such as packaged chips, cookies, bread, ketchup, candy, etc.).
• Around 5% of children of ages 5-9, and 6% of adolescents, were overweight or obese, almost 2% of children and adolescents were found to have diabetes, and another 10% had pre-diabetes.

Some Basic Guidelines:

• The guidelines say an estimated 56.4% of India’s total disease burden can be attributed to unhealthy diets.
• A healthy diet and physical activity can prevent 80% of Type 2 diabetes cases, and significantly reduce the burden of heart disease and high blood pressure.

Focus on children, mothers:

• Optimal nutrition for mother and child from conception till the age of 2 years is linked to proper growth and development.
• It can prevent all forms of undernutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity.
• The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2019, which showed high prevalence of lifestyle conditions even in children.

Dual nutrition challenge

• Incidence of micronutrient (zinc, iron, vitamins) deficiencies ranged from 13% to 30% of children between ages 1 and 19.
• The recommended ideal diet charts for various groups of people takes into account both micronutrient deficiencies and diseases of overnutrition.
• While severe forms of undernutrition such as marasmus (a deficiency of macronutrients such as carbohydrates and proteins) and kwashiorkor (deficiency of proteins) have disappeared from the country, manifestations such as anemia continue to grow.
• All oils are 100 percent fat and, therefore, should be consumed in moderate quantities
• It puts the prevalence of anemia at 40.6%, 23.5%, and 28.4% in children under age 5, ages 5-9, and 10-19 respectively.
• Undernutrition continues to be high in India, but obesity has increased significantly over the last 30 years.

General dietary principles:

• The guidelines recommend getting required nutrients from at least eight food groups, including vegetables, leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, dairy, nuts, and oils.
• Consumption of cereals, i.e. the staple of Indian meals , should be restricted.
• More proteins (pulses, meat, poultry, fish) should be consumed, making up 14% of the total daily energy (instead of only 6-9% now).
• Achieving adequate levels of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and B12 is a challenge for vegetarians. 
• The guidelines recommend consumption of flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, vegetables, and greens.
• Salt consumption should be restricted to 5g a day, and strongly recommends against consuming highly processed foods that are typically high in fats, salt and sugar.

What does organic food represent?

• When a food label states ‘organic’, it may simply mean that it is free of all artificial preservatives, flavors and colors, and that the food ingredients are free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
• If both the above are met, then the label can state 100 percent organic and have the ‘Jaivik Bharat’ logo approved by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Group-specific guidelines:

Pregnant women:

• Small frequent meals for those experiencing nausea and vomiting.
• The guidelines recommend consumption of lots of fruit and vegetables, especially those high in iron and folate content.

Infants and children: 

• For the first six months, infants should only be breastfed, and must not be given honey, glucose, or diluted milk. There is no need to give water, even during hot months.
• After age 6 months, complementary foods must be included.

Elderly: 

• The elderly should consume foods rich in proteins, calcium, micronutrients, and fiber.
• Apart from pulses and cereals — with at least one-third as whole grains , at least 200-400 ml of low-fat milk or milk products, a fist full of nuts and oilseeds, and 400-500g of vegetables and fruit should be consumed.
• Exercise is important in order to maintain bone density and muscle mass.

Misleading Advertisements:

• Any food item, including fruit juices containing only 10 or less per cent of fruit, is allowed to display that the product is made with real fruit pulp or juice.
• Fortification of ultra-processed food cannot make them wholesome or healthy, which is a technique used to add certain nutrients to unhealthy food.

About ICMR – National Institute of Nutrition:

• The National Institute of Nutrition is an Indian public health, nutrition and translational research center located in Hyderabad, India.
• The institute is one of the oldest research centers in India, and the largest center, under the Indian Council of Medical Research, located in the vicinity of Osmania University.

About Hidden Hunger:

• Hidden hunger is a form of undernutrition that occurs when intake and absorption of vitamins and minerals (such as zinc, iodine, and iron) are too low to sustain good health and development.

About Food Fortification:

• Food fortification also known as food enrichment is when nutrients are added to food at higher levels than what the original food provides. 
• This is done to address micronutrient deficiencies across populations, countries and regions.

4. Why Indian agriculture may need a new export-import policy

Subject: Economy

Sec: External sector

Context:

• India’s agricultural exports fell 8.2% in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 on the back of shipment curbs on a host of commodities, from cereals and sugar to onions.

More on news:

• The value of farm exports totaled $48.82 billion in 2023-24, down from the record $53.15 billion of 2022-23 and $50.24 billion for the previous fiscal.
• Exports declined from $43.25 billion in 2013-14 to $35.60 billion in 2019-20, while accompanied by an increase in imports (from $15.53 billion to $21.86 billion).
• A crash in global agri-commodity prices is witnessed with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food price index (base: 2014-16=100) dipping from an average of 119.1 to 96.5 points between 2013-14 and 2019-20.
• Global price recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (the FAO index soared to 140.8 in 2022-23) resulted in India’s farm exports as well as imports zooming to all-time-highs in 2022-23, before dropping in the fiscal year.

Drivers of exports

• Table 1 shows the fall in exports to have been led primarily by sugar and non-basmati rice.

• The government hasn’t allowed any sugar to go out of the country during the current production year from October 2023.
• Exports of the sweetener were valued at only $2.82 billion in 2023-24, after peaking at $5.77 billion and $4.60 billion in the preceding fiscals.
• Concerns over domestic availability and food inflation have similarly triggered a ban on exports of all white non-basmati rice since July 2023. 
• Currently, only parboiled grain shipments are being permitted within the non-basmati segment, while also attracting a 20% duty.
• Two other items that have borne the brunt of export restrictions ,triggered by domestic shortages and rising prices  are wheat and onion.
• Wheat exports were altogether stopped in May 2022, following which their value plunged to $56.74 million in 2023-24, after reaching an all-time-high of $2.12 billion in 2021-22.
• Most of the other major agri export items — barring marine products, castor oil and other cereals (mainly maize) — have posted growth. 
• Basmati rice exports fetched $5.84 billion in 2023-24, surpassing the previous high of $4.86 billion achieved back in 2013-14.
• Spices exports too crossed the $4 billion mark for the first time.
• Exports of buffalo meat, oil meals and raw cotton, even while up over 2022-23, were far from their corresponding records of $4.78 billion, $3.04 billion and $4.33 billion touched in 2014-15, 2012-13 and 2011-12 respectively.

Drivers of imports

• India’s imports of vegetable fats topped $20 billion in 2022-23. 
• 2023-24 saw the average FAO index ease to 121.6 points and the vegetable oil sub-index to 123.4 points. 
• Foreign exchange outflow on account of cooking oil has reduced, imports of pulses almost doubled to $3.75 billion in 2023-24, the highest since the $3.90 billion and $4.24 billion levels of 2015-16 and 2016-17 respectively.

Policy takeaways

• The Modi government has done away with import duties on most pulses — arhar (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), masoor (red lentils), yellow/white peas and, earlier this month, chana (chickpea) — and kept it at 5.5% for crude palm, soybean and sunflower oil.

5. In 1950-2015, the Hindu population dipped from 85% to 78%, and Muslims rose to 14% from 10% — PM-EAC paper

Subject: Geography

Sec: Human geo

Context:

• A working paper of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) was released on the share of religious minorities in 167 countries, including India.

Key Findings:

• The share of the Hindu population in India decreased by 7.82% from 1950 to 2015, declining from 84.68% to 78.06%.
• Muslim population in India rose significantly by 43.15%, increasing from 9.84% in 1950 to 14.09% in 2015.
• Other religious minorities in India except for Parsis and Jains saw an increase in their population share up to 6.58 percent.
• Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists all experienced growth, whereas Jains (from 0.45 to 0.36 per cent) and Parsis saw a decline, with Parsis witnessing a substantial 85% reduction.
• Globally, the majority religious group’s share decreased in 123 out of 167 countries studied, reflecting a trend towards greater religious heterogeneity.

Regional Comparison:

• In contrast to India, neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Afghanistan have seen an increase in the share of their majority religious groups and an alarming decline in minority populations.
• The Indian subcontinent (excluding Maldives where a slight decrease of 1.47 per cent occurred) generally showed growth in the Muslim-majority populations.
• Among the five non-Muslim majority countries, Myanmar, India and Nepal saw a decline in the share of the majority religious denomination while Sri Lanka and Bhutan saw their share increase.

Global Perspective:

• Globally, the share of the majority population has decreased in 123 countries while it went up in 44 countries only.
  • In 1950, Animism had a majority status in 24 countries (almost all of them in Africa). Animism did not just lose its share in the overall population but it is no longer a majority population in any of these 24 countries by 2015.
• The global decline in majority religious groups is marked, particularly among Christian-majority countries where 77 out of 94 reported decreases.
• Conversely, Muslim-majority countries mostly saw increases, with 25 out of 38 noting growth.
• Of the eight member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Myanmar, the share of the majority religious denomination has decreased in four while it increased in five.
• The Indian subcontinent accounts for one-fifth of the global population.

What are the Implications?

• The data suggests that India offers a relatively conducive environment for the diversity and growth of minority religions and is the outcome of “progressive policies and inclusive institutions”, contrary to the decrease in minority populations in many neighbouring countries.
• The paper highlights the role of demographic changes as a part of structural transformations in societies, indicating that these shifts might reflect broader societal trends rather than immediate political conditions alone.

Relevance of the findings:

• The findings are relevant in the context of recent political developments such as India’s Citizenship Amendment Act, which aims to provide refuge to persecuted minorities from specific neighbouring countries.
• The trends underscore the comparative stability and growth of minority populations in India, a notable contrast to patterns observed in some other South Asian countries.

Source: The Print

6. Reservation within Constitutional bounds

Subject: Polity

Sec: Constitution

Context:

• A political slugfest has emerged over the reservation issues.

Constitutional Basis for Reservation:

• The Constitution of India provides for reservation in various forms, including:

Different types of Reservations in India:

Key judgements:

• Indra Sawhney Case (1992): The Supreme Court upheld 27% reservation for OBCs and maintained a total reservation cap at 50%, excluding the “creamy layer” (more affluent members) of OBCs from reservation benefits.
  • The reservation of OBC (27%), SC (15%) and ST (7.5%) resulted in a total reservation of 49.5%.
• Nagaraj Case Judgement (2006): The Supreme Court ruled that the state was not bound to provide reservation in promotions to SCs/STs. But if any state wished to make such a provision, it needs to:
  • Collect quantifiable data on the backwardness of the class
  • Prove its inadequate representation in public employment
  • Show no compromise on the efficiency of administration
• Jarnail Singh vs Lachhmi Narain Gupta Case Judgement (2018): The Supreme Court held that reservation in promotions does not require the state to collect quantifiable data on the backwardness of the SCs and the STs.
  • The Court also held that creamy layer exclusion extends to SC/STs and, hence the State cannot grant reservations in promoting SC/ST individuals who belong to the creamy layer of their community.
• Janhit Abhiyan Case (2022): The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), recognizing economic criteria as a basis for reservation.

International Perspective on Affirmative Action:

• The U.S. recently moved away from race-based affirmative action in college admissions, ruling it unconstitutional.
• The U.K. practices “positive action,” allowing voluntary measures to address the under-representation of disadvantaged groups.
• France focuses on educational measures for low-income students without explicit affirmative action based on race or ethnicity.

Existing Challenges and Recommendations:

• The G. Rohini Commission was established to examine sub-categorization among OBC castes to ensure a more equitable distribution of reservation benefits.
• Initial assessments reveal that approximately 97% of reserved positions and educational slots have been secured by about 25% of the OBC castes/sub-castes.
• Notably, nearly 1,000 out of 2,600 OBC communities have not benefited from reservations in employment or education.
• Although sub-categorization has been implemented in 11 states, it has not yet been adopted at the central level.
• Similar issues of benefit concentration are observed among SC and ST categories, where no creamy layer exclusion applies.
• The government is also examining the extension of SC reservations to include Dalit Christians and Muslims, addressing discrimination and lack of opportunities faced by these groups.
• A commission led by former Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan is reviewing this aspect.
• The overarching goal of these reforms is to continue the pursuit of social justice while balancing it with the constitutional guarantee of equality, thereby making affirmative action more responsive and equitable across all disadvantaged groups.

Source: TH

7. All about FLiRT, the new COVID-19 variants

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Health

FLiRT variant of COVID-19 virus:

• The COVID-19 pandemic witnesses new developments with the emergence of the FLiRT variants, specifically KP.2 and KP1.1, which are descendants of the Omicron JN.1 variant.
• These new variants have been detected in significant numbers across various countries, including the U.S., U.K., South Korea, New Zealand, and India.
• The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) reported 238 cases of KP.2 and 30 cases of KP1.1 in India as of early May.
• Naming: They are nicknamed the FLiRT group of variants (labelled so because of their technical names, F being replaced by L at position 456, and R supplanted by T at position 346).

Increased Immune Evasion:

• The KP.2 variant, which is more prevalent among the two, shows a heightened ability to evade immunity provided by vaccines and previous infections.
• This variant has mutations that enhance its transmissibility and immune escape capabilities, making it a public health concern.
• KP.2 can overcome immunity from both the latest vaccines and prior infections, including those from its ancestor JN.1.

Current COVID-19 Wave and Management:

• There is a noted increase in COVID-19 cases in regions like Maharashtra, Odisha, Goa, and West Bengal, largely attributed to the spread of these new variants.
• The symptoms remain similar to previous Omicron subvariants, including sore throat, cough, and fatigue.
• Despite the rise in cases, the overall severity of the disease has not shown a significant increase, suggesting that while the variants are more transmissible, they may not necessarily lead to more severe illness.
• Health authorities, including the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the European Medicine Agency, emphasize the need to update COVID-19 vaccines to include coverage against these new variants.
• Health experts suggest that COVID-19 might shift from being a pandemic to a cyclical disease, presenting recurring waves rather than a constant presence.

Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG):

• Jointly initiated by the Union Health Ministry of Health, and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) with the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• A consortium of 54 laboratories to monitor the genomic variations in the SARS-CoV-2.
• INSACOG is a multi-laboratory, multi-agency, Pan-India network to monitor genomic variations in the SARS-CoV-2 by a sentinel sequencing effort which is facilitated by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi involving the Central Surveillance Unit (CSU) under Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).

Source: TH

8. Could bird flu turn into the next pandemic?

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Avian Influenza or Bird flu:

• It is a highly contagious viral disease affecting several species of food-producing birds (chickens, turkeys, quails, guinea fowl, etc.), as well as pet birds and wild birds.
• Occasionally mammals, including humans, may contract avian influenza.
• Influenza A viruses are classified into subtypes based on two surface proteins, Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA). For example, a virus that has an HA 7 protein and NA 9 protein is designated as subtype H7N9.
• Avian influenza virus subtypes include A(H5N1), A(H7N9), and A(H9N2).
• HPAI A(H5N1) virus occurs mainly in birds and is highly contagious among them.
• HPAI Asian H5N1 is especially deadly for poultry.
• Prevention: Strict biosecurity measures and good hygiene are essential in protecting against disease outbreaks.
• Eradication: If the infection is detected in animals, a policy of culling infected and contact animals is normally used to rapidly contain, control and eradicate the disease.

Spread of H5N1 Bird Flu virus:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms about the ongoing spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus, which has evolved to affect not only birds but also mammals, including cows and goats, marking a significant zoonotic development.
• This outbreak, which started in 2020, has seen cases in humans as well, with a high mortality rate of 52% among the infected.
• To date, 889 human cases have been recorded across 23 countries, leading to 463 deaths.

Global Developments:

• In the US, the H5N1 virus has been detected in cattle, a new host species for the virus, across several states.
• This presents a unique challenge as unlike poultry, culling cattle is not seen as a viable containment strategy due to their economic value and the fact that the virus does not cause high mortality in these animals.
• There is no evidence of the virus in pasteurized milk.

Economic Impact on India:

• India ranks as the third-largest egg producer and the fifth-largest poultry meat producer globally.
• In the fiscal year 2022-23, India exported 664,753.46 metric tons of poultry products valued at approximately 134.04 million USD to over 57 countries.
• The Indian poultry market was valued at USD 30.46 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2024 to 2032.
• This underlines the significant economic stake India holds in managing bird flu effectively.

Implications and Future Concerns:

• The adaptation of the H5N1 virus to infect mammals including cattle has heightened concerns about its potential to evolve further, possibly gaining the ability for human-to-human transmission.
• This scenario underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring, rapid response strategies, and international cooperation to manage the spread of this potentially devastating virus.

India’s strategy to prevent and control Avian Influenza:

• India first detected the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Maharashtra in February 2006 and has since faced yearly outbreaks affecting various states.
• Over 9 million birds have been culled to control the disease.
• The Indian government’s strategy, as per the revised National Action Plan for Prevention, Control, and Containment of Avian Influenza (2021), includes strict measures such as the culling of infected animals, restriction on poultry movement, and intensive surveillance post-outbreak.
• It’s important to note that vaccination against HPAI is not permitted in India.
  • The Central Government has maintained that with the long-term use of vaccination either the disease has become endemic and therefore widespread, or the infection in affected animals is too difficult to detect.

Source: TH