|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
Indian farmers demand dairy be kept out of India-U.S. trade agreement
|
|
Wednesday, 07 January, 2026, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
|
|
Our Bureau, New Delhi
|
A leading farmers’ body in India has urged the government to exclude agriculture and dairy sectors from the proposed India-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), saying opening up domestic markets to U.S. imports could threaten the livelihoods of millions of farmers across the country. The Thalavady Farmers Association formally submitted its plea to Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 5, 2026, highlighting deep concerns over potential economic disruption if products like wheat, soybean, canola, milk and other dairy goods were allowed duty-free or at lowered tariffs under a bilateral trade deal.
Representatives of the association warned that cheaper imports from the United States, especially in key agricultural and dairy categories, could undermine domestic prices, making it harder for local producers to cover production costs and sustain operations. They stressed that India’s dairy sector is one of the world’s largest and relies heavily on small and marginal farmers whose livelihoods could be jeopardised by a surge in subsidised imports.
The group also raised concerns about the import of crops used for ethanol production, which they say could further depress domestic prices and exacerbate the financial distress faced by many cultivators already operating on thin margins. Citing these risks, the farmers’ body urged that all future trade agreements should similarly exclude agriculture and dairy, safeguarding India’s food security, rural income base and overall market stability.
India and the U.S. have been in prolonged discussions over a potential trade pact, with agriculture and dairy repeatedly cited as contentious areas in negotiations. Indian stakeholders, including dairy cooperatives and farming organisations, have consistently opposed liberalising these sectors due to fears of market disruption and competitive disadvantages compared with highly subsidised U.S. agricultural exports.
The farmers’ appeal reflects broader domestic resistance and the strategic importance of maintaining protective measures for agriculture and dairy as India seeks to balance trade diplomacy with rural economic resilience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|