Witnessing Betrayal of Farmers in Name of US Trade Deal: Rahul

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "In the name of a US trade deal, we are witnessing a betrayal of Indian farmers," and questioned whether the agreement would allow another country to gain long-term influence over India’s agriculture industry.

He asked what importing Dried Distillers' Grains (DDG) would entail. "Does it mean that Indian cattle will be fed distillers' grains made from GM American corn? Won't this effectively make our milk products dependent on the US agricultural industry?" he said.

Gandhi also raised concerns about the possible import of genetically modified soy oil and its impact on soy farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. "How will they withstand another price shock?" he asked.

Referring to references to “additional products” in the agreement, he questioned whether this would lead to pulses and other crops being opened to US imports. He further asked, "What does it mean to remove 'non-trade barriers'? Will India be forced in the future to loosen its stance on GM crops, weaken procurement, or reduce MSPs and bonuses?"

Stating that farmers require clarity on the issue, he said, "This isn't just about today. It's about the future too — are we allowing another country to gain a long-term hold on India's agriculture industry?"

On Saturday, Gandhi had alleged that the interim trade deal would adversely affect cotton farmers and textile exporters. In a separate post on X, he said, "18 per cent Tariff vs 0 per cent —Let me explain how the Prime Minister and his Cabinet are spreading confusion on this issue. And how they are cheating India's cotton farmers and textile exporters through the India-US trade deal," and claimed that the agreement would harm the textile sector and cotton cultivation.