Basmati Rice to Boom in US Market, Says Shivraj Chouhan on India-US Deal
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the India–US interim trade deal protects major crops and dairy while opening US markets for Indian exports. Basmati rice, spices and other products will gain access, benefiting farmers, while sensitive agricultural sectors remain safeguarded.
Sehore (Madhya Pradesh): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said the government has protected major crops and dairy products while prioritising farmers’ interests in the interim framework of the India–US trade agreement. He also emphasised that the deal would open American markets to Indian exports. “There’s going to be a lot of benefit. It is in favour of farmers and the people of India. We have protected all major crops and dairy products. On the other hand, farmers will get markets for export. Our basmati rice will rock the US. Our spices will go there. This is in the best interest of farmers,” Chouhan told reporters while interacting with farmers in Sehore district.
India and the United States recently announced a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. A joint statement said the framework reaffirms commitment to negotiating a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) launched by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025. The proposed pact will include additional market access commitments and support resilient supply chains.
According to the statement, India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and other items. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also stressed the government’s commitment to farmers, saying dairy, fruits, vegetables, spices and other grains have been protected in the trade deal. He said the agreement would safeguard domestic farmers’ interests, strengthen local agriculture through preferential access to a large market and mark progress toward a self-reliant India.
Goyal listed protected vegetables such as frozen potatoes, peas, cucumbers and gherkins, beans, other legume vegetables, temporarily preserved vegetables including cucumber and mushrooms, and mixed canned vegetables. Protected dairy products include milk (liquid, powdered and condensed), cheese, cream, butter oil, yoghurt, buttermilk, whey products, butter and ghee. The government has also ensured protection of grains such as ragi, wheat, copra, amaranth, maize, millet, rice, barley, oats, sorghum and various flours.
Protected spices include black pepper, long pepper, dried green chilli, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, asafoetida, ginger, turmeric, celery, fenugreek, cassia, mustard, rye husk and other powdered spices. Both countries said they will promptly implement the framework and work toward finalising the Interim Agreement, with the aim of concluding a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement under the agreed roadmap.
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Source : Deccan Chronicle
