"We've got a lot of work to do in front of us and that is the advantage of this free trade agreement with India which will grow over the next 10 years and more.

"It's a long term investment and it's a great thing for Australia as well as [doing] good for farmers in India to learn some of the best marketing strategies customers want."

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Mr Fletcher's company is one of the country's largest lamb and sheep meat exporters and the biggest employer in western NSW with over 1,200 staff at abattoirs in Dubbo and Albany in Western Australia.

The company is exporting chilled lamb and sheep meat, including wool, sheepskin and other byproducts to 90 countries and the new trade deal opens the door to India's 1.4 billion consumers.

Mr Fletcher said he was pleased by Prime Minister Scott Morrison's announcement last weekend saying "they did a good job" because the pandemic had impacted primary producers.

He said tapping India's huge market estimated at $14.8 billion each year would kickstart the economy again.

The PM said the agreement "opens a big door into the world's fastest growing major economy for Australian farmers, manufacturers, producers and so many more. By unlocking the huge market of around 1.4 billion consumers in India, we are strengthening the economy and growing jobs right here at home."

Mr Fletcher said since the pandemic, their domestic and global operations had lost a considerable number of staff following a disruptions to the global supply chain thus he believes the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement that the PM announced would create huge opportunities for regional exporters.

"We have been working on this agreement for 10 years to get that market to open up. It has been a big challenge but we know India's market very well," Mr Fletcher said.

"Thirty years ago our market was different today so the market is changing and Australia is changing for the better because we now have better products that can compete in the global market.

"The customers we've got want meat ready to be pulled out of the carton whether its supermarkets or restaurants or airlines or cruise ships, they just want to pull out the meat ready to make a meal."

But abattoirs, including Fletchers, has been facing shortage of skilled butchers, boners and other labourers to produce the product and meet innovative demands in expanding meat markets.

Mr Fletcher said the removal of tariffs on 85 per cent of Australian products entering India would be a boon to all producers and exporters.

Under the agreement, the 30 per cent sheep meat tariff is eliminated boosting 20 per cent of Australian meat exports to India.

Wool's 2.5 per cent tariff is removed making India the second largest market for Australian wool which accounts for 25 per cent of wool exports in the world market. NSW produces bulk of wool exports with China as main buyer.

Australia exports $12.6 billion worth of agricultural products annually and this figure is expected to increase by 91 per cent worth $13.4 billion annually over the next 10 years.

Two-way trade between Australia and India is worth $24.3 billion.

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