Kochi, Aug 18 - Defence Minister A.K. Antony Tuesday said a cabinet sub-committee will hold detailed talks with the Kerala government over India's recently signed free trade agreement (FTA) with the ASEAN nations.

The committee, set up to study the impact of the FTA on the agricultural sector, is headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and includes Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Antony.

'This committee will hold talks with the state government and all other concerned parties. Don't worry about it,' Antony told reporters here on his arrival for a two-day state visit.

The agreement, signed Aug 13 in Bangkok by Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, will come into effect Jan 1 next year.

The critics of the pact say it would affect the agriculture sector as import tariff on many agricultural produces will be eliminated.

Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan earlier said the central government ignored the concerns of the state and the FTA would be detrimental to the interests of the agriculture sector in the state.