Agriculture Minister of India Shivraj Singh Chouhan applauded the efforts and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that Modi’s determination to protect the interests of farmers despite tariff pressure from America is a welcoming move for Indians. The Union Agriculture Minister said that it has already been decided that there will be no compromise with the interests of the farmers’ community of the nation.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan said this at an event in Subrahmanyam Hall in New Delhi, the agriculture minister stressed India’s population which he cited as the real strength of the nation, hence his party will not compromise with the interests of the citizens. He said that government will explore new markets amidst the tariff pressure from Donald Trump.
In a sarcastic reply to the Trump administration and his US Government’s decision of imposing 50 per cent Tariff in India and his act of putting pressure in trade talks for greater access to India’s agriculture and dairy sectors, Chouhan said there is vast difference in the size of landholdings and agricultural practices and cost of production in the two countries.
“The whole country was apprehensive, tariff…You know how much land they hold: 10,000 hectares, 15,000 hectares. Meanwhile, our farmers have land ranging from one acre to three acres, with many having just half an acre. We have a little land. Is this competition fair? You use GM seeds. There are different kinds of perceptions about our GM. The whole country was apprehensive, what will happen? They want their soybean to come here, their wheat, maize, rice,” the Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Sign Chouhan.
The Union Agriculture Minister further added that “The cost of production per hectare is less there because GM seeds and other things are used, so the yield is more and the cost is less. The cost of production per hectare here is much higher than there, and if it had come openly, the prices of the crops here would have fallen further in our country. Where would the farmer go? Therefore, it was decided that no matter what happens, there will be no compromise with the interests of the farmer,”.