Indian farmers’ body, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), has slammed a new US trade deal as “a surrender to multinational agricultural giants”, calling for the commerce minister’s resignation. According to Kashmir Media Service, the SKM, a coalition of over forty Indian farmers’ unions, demanded Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s immediate resignation as soon as he explained the details of the bilateral pact. 

Speaking to reporters at a press conference, leaders of the union representing apple and cotton growers said any relaxation on the import of cotton would be disastrous for the economies of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. SKM leaders called the framework for the interim agreement on bilateral trade a “total surrender” to America’s agriculture sector.

They cited the inclusion of dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits in the joint statement. The leaders warned that the animal feed market would be completely monopolised by US companies. SKM leaders urged farmers across India to join protest demonstrations on Feb 12 and to support a general strike of workers as a “befitting reply to the anti-people Modi government”.

The leaders said Goyal’s claim that the agriculture and dairy sectors were excluded from the agreement was incorrect. “Dairy products are part of the FTAs signed with the UK, New Zealand and European Union and the fresh revelations have undoubtedly proved the Commerce Minister is consciously propagating falsehood and betraying the farmers and the entire people,” the SKM statement said. “SKM considers the role of Commerce Minister as a traitor and demands his immediate resignation.” 

The organisation demanded that Indian Prime Minister Modi desist from signing the India-US Free Trade Agreement or face “massive pan-India united mass struggles”. Farmers’ leaders highlighted tariff disparities, noting that US tariffs on Indian goods rose from zero in 2023-24 to 18pc, while Indian tariff rates on US agriculture products dropped from between 30pc and 150pc to zero. They said this would make Indian agriculture hang by the noose of US multinational corporations. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)