Punjab Opposition Leader Sounds Alarm Over Indo-US Trade Deal Impact on Farmers
Leader of the opposition in the Punjab assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, issued a stark warning on Friday regarding the potential consequences of the proposed Indo-US trade agreement for India's agricultural sector. The Congress leader asserted that the deal could severely undermine the livelihoods of farmers across the nation, with Punjab's agricultural community facing particularly dire risks from unfair competition with heavily subsidized American farm products.
Massive Disparity in Government Support Exposed
Bajwa highlighted the enormous gap in governmental assistance between American and Indian farmers. He revealed that agricultural producers in the United States benefit from some of the most substantial government support programs globally. According to his analysis, large commercial farms in the US receive direct annual payments approaching Rs 60 lakh, while even intermediate and part-time farmers obtain between Rs 7 and 11 lakh each year.
Beyond these direct payments, the US government allocates an astonishing Rs 2.7 lakh crore to Rs 4.5 lakh crore annually toward comprehensive farm support mechanisms. This funding encompasses crop insurance subsidies, price guarantee programs, export incentives, disaster bailout packages, and ultra-cheap credit systems that collectively shield American farmers from market volatility.
Structured Disadvantage for Indian Agriculture
"In America, farmers do not fear crop failure or price crashes because the government protects their income. Yet Indian farmers are being asked to compete in a so-called 'free market' without similar safeguards. This is not free trade, this is a structured disadvantage for Indian agriculture," Bajwa declared emphatically.
The opposition leader posed a critical question about the fundamental fairness of such trade arrangements: "When a farmer in the US gets massive income support and export incentives, and an Indian farmer struggles even for a legal MSP guarantee, how can there be a level playing field?"
Potential Collapse of Farm Prices Feared
Bajwa warned that opening Indian markets to cheap, highly subsidized US agricultural imports could trigger a devastating collapse in domestic farm prices. This price depression would particularly impact Punjab's wheat, maize, cotton, and dairy producers, threatening the economic foundation of the state's agricultural economy.
The Congress leader criticized the Union government for what he characterized as contradictory policies: "The same government that labels support for Indian farmers as 'freebies' is ready to sign deals with a country that spends lakhs of crores protecting its own farmers." He specifically noted the government's failure to provide a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) while simultaneously pursuing trade arrangements that could weaken existing procurement and price support systems.
Call for Nationwide Farmer Unity
Bajwa issued a passionate appeal for agricultural solidarity across India, urging farmers' unions, agricultural workers, and all rural stakeholders to unite in defense of their economic future. "This is not just about Punjab, it is about the survival of India's agrarian economy. Farmers must once again unite peacefully and democratically to ensure that no trade deal snatches away their livelihoods or dignity," he asserted.
The opposition leader called upon farmers throughout the country to mobilize collectively to safeguard their economic interests and demand protection from policies that threaten their survival. He emphasized that the proposed trade agreement represents a fundamental challenge to India's agricultural sovereignty and requires coordinated, nationwide resistance from the farming community.
