The Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) expressed strong criticism towards the India-US trade deal, labeling it as a perilous and detrimental agreement that will negatively impact Indian agriculture and lead many farmers into financial distress. AAP spokesperson Kuldeep Dhaliwal accused BJP leader Sunil Jakhar of celebrating the deal without acknowledging its severe repercussions on India’s impoverished and small-scale farmers. Dhaliwal emphasized that AAP has been vocal in opposing the deal since its announcement, contrasting it with the lack of transparency from the BJP government.
Dhaliwal pointed out that the trade deal, as revealed by US President Donald Trump’s tweets, could potentially flood Indian markets with heavily subsidized American agricultural goods, posing a direct threat to local farmers who already face minimal government support. He highlighted the vulnerability of crops like red sorghum, predominantly cultivated by impoverished farmers in drought-prone regions of Maharashtra, lacking a minimum support price guarantee. The influx of American grains and dairy products could jeopardize the livelihoods of farmers across states like Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
Expressing concerns over the impact on various agricultural sectors, Dhaliwal raised questions about the survival of cotton farmers against subsidized US cotton, the competition faced by Jammu and Kashmir farmers from American almonds and walnuts, and the challenges for apple growers in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir due to inexpensive US apples entering the market. The AAP representative underscored the potential collapse of indigenous crops like maize and bajra if inundated by American produce, painting a grim picture for the agricultural landscape in India.
