Farmers Fear Being Left Behind: Concerns Rise Over India–US Trade Deal
Across India’s villages and fields, uncertainty is growing as talk of a zero-import duty on American agricultural products under a proposed India–US trade agreement sparks worry among farmers. For millions who depend on agriculture for survival, the silence from the Centre has only deepened unease.
Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh voiced strong concerns, warning that India’s small and marginal farmers cannot compete with the heavily subsidised, corporate-driven farming systems of developed nations. He cautioned that zero-duty imports of US grains, pulses, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products could push down local prices, cut into farmers’ incomes, and worsen rural unemployment.
Singh pointed out that while US authorities openly promise gains for their farmers, Indian farmers continue to battle rising input costs, climate-related losses, and stagnant support prices. Sensitive sectors like dairy, he said, appear particularly vulnerable, with little clarity on safeguards.
He criticised the Centre’s lack of transparency, noting that no draft of the agreement has been shared publicly and no consultations have been held with Parliament, Chief Ministers, or farmer unions. Instead, decisions seem to be unfolding behind closed doors, leaving those most affected—farmers, horticulturists, and rural youth—without a voice.
Calling the situation troubling, Singh stressed that such an approach undermines India’s federal spirit and the government’s constitutional duty to protect livelihoods, food security, and the agricultural backbone of the nation.
This isn’t just about trade policy—it’s about the lives of millions who till the soil, and the future of rural India hanging in the balance.
