Farmers Call for Exclusion from India-US Trade Pact

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) has urged that agriculture, dairy, and poultry sectors be exempt from the India-US trade agreement to protect domestic producers. Thousands gathered for a Kisan Panchayat to voice concerns and demand a debate with the Union Agriculture Minister. Past commitments on MSP remain unaddressed.

Farmers, represented by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), have issued a strong call to exclude agriculture, dairy, and poultry sectors from the India-US trade agreement. They argue that duty-free imports could devastate local producers. The demand was voiced during a Kisan Panchayat at Ramlila Maidan that attracted thousands of farmers nationwide.

Farmer leaders labelled the trade deal as a 'death warrant' for Indian cultivators and requested an open debate with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The assembly wasn't for new demands but to remind the government of past assurances, particularly on Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantees.

The gathering concluded with a delegation delivering resolutions to the Prime Minister's Office, highlighting issues like unfulfilled promises on MSP and the financial struggles of farmers versus large corporate loan waivers. Data from the OECD and government reports were cited to emphasize the economic losses faced by farmers.