India’s major farmer group revolts against US trade deal
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Farmers are one of the most influential voting blocs in India and had proved powerful in the past in effecting political change.
PHOTO: AFP
NEW DELHI – One of India’s largest farmer groups will proceed with a planned nationwide protest this week, as concerns persist over whether New Delhi has made too many concessions in agriculture under an interim trade deal with the US
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a powerful umbrella group of farmers’ associations, has vowed to organise protests over the coming days, including a strike on Feb 12, as details of the long-awaited pact trickle out.
While many critical details remain unclear, a joint statement issued last week showed that the world’s most populous nation agreed to cut or eliminate import duties on some US food and agricultural products, including distillers dried grains (DDGS), red sorghum for animal feed, soya bean oil, tree nuts, and fresh and processed fruit, under the framework of an interim trade deal.
The move will lower food and feed costs but intensify pressure on some domestic farmers.
“Agriculture in trade talks is a taboo. This government has broken this taboo,” said Mr Avik Saha, senior leader with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. “Therefore, this government must go.”
Farmers – one of the most influential voting blocs in India – include millions of smallholders with less than 2ha of land.
They’ve proved powerful in the past in effecting political change.
In 2021, Samyukt Kisan Morcha and other agriculture groups forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to scrap three contentious farm laws
The government has moved to allay farmers’ fears over the trade deal.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has repeatedly said that sensitive agricultural products such as dairy and poultry have been kept out of trade talks.
He also said India made no concessions on imports of genetically modified crops from the US, a red line for New Delhi during the negotiations.
Still, the import of DDGS – mostly made from US GM corn – effectively allows genetically modified byproduct into the market.
According to Mr Saha, this move has allowed the US to put “a foot in the door and then they will push it ajar.”
India’s political opposition has echoed similar concerns, saying the joint statement issued on Feb 6 is too “open-ended.”
A spokesperson for the Indian National Congress said on Feb 7 that the deal allows a “backdoor entry” for US imports.
“India will slash import duties to help American farmers at the cost of Indian farmers,” Mr Jairam Ramesh posted on X.
The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a separate farmers’ group close to Mr Modi’s ideological parent organisation, said it is “happy for now” with the barrier to GM crops.
“The government has categorically told us that they will not allow GM crops. We are happy for now and welcome the deal,” said general secretary Mohini Mishra. BLOOMBERG
