The Congress on Monday said the proposed India-US trade deal has jeopardised the interests of Indian farmers by opening the doors to duty-free US imports of processed maize, sorghum, soya bean oil and cotton.
Speaking at the party's official media briefing, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said the framework agreement will open India's market to American food and agricultural products without any import duty, hurting the interests of domestic farmers. "The interests of the nation and the public cannot be sacrificed under the guise of trade agreements. It is for these very reasons that we fought against the British. But in the US-India trade agreement, the Modi government has sacrificed the country and the farmers," he said.
"The country is asking these very questions: Is this a strong government or a helpless government? Is this India self-reliant or America-dependent," he asked.
Surjewala said the agreement on importing dried distillers grain (processed maize) would enable America, which produces 425 million metric tonnes,m of maize, to sell its product in India, thus hitting the farmers who cultivate maize in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana and Gujarat.
Source Name : Economic Times