Indo-US trade deal detrimental to interests of farmers in Maharashtra: Congress leader

Nagpur: Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Saturday said the India-US trade deal would negatively impact the interests of farmers in Maharashtra as agricultural imports will carry zero per cent duty.

India and the US announced that they have reached a framework for an interim trade agreement under which tariffs on New Delhi will be reduced to 18 per cent.

"The agreement with the US will negatively affect farmers when new crops are ready for harvest. The duty on Indian exports to the US will be 18 per cent, but the duty on agriculture exports from the US to India will be zero per cent," the former leader of opposition in the Maharashtra assembly told reporters.

Wadettiwar said the deal will mean no market for Indian soybean, wheat, cotton and corn.

"This agreement was sealed under pressure, and the Central government will have to face consequences in the near future," he added.

He claimed 22 farmers have committed suicide in Yavatmal district alone in January due to mounting debts.

"The state government had announced before elections that loans of farmers would be waived. However, even after one and a half years in power, the government has not taken any concrete steps," the Congress leader said.

He claimed that the Central government rejected a proposal sent by the state government for a farm loan waiver.

Wadettiwar further alleged that the newly-enacted VB-G RAM G Act will adversely impact guaranteed employment, unlike the erstwhile MGNREGA, which had guaranteed 100 days of pay in rural areas.