Farmers’ body urges Centre to keep agriculture, dairy out of India-U.S. Free Trade Agreement

Thalavady Farmers Association on Monday (January 5, 2026) urged the Union government to keep agriculture and the dairy sector out of the proposed India-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

In a petition submitted to Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Erode, Mr. Kannaiyan expressed concern over reports and official indications that the United States was pressing India to open its markets to American agricultural and dairy imports, including wheat, soybean, canola, milk, and other dairy products.

He warned that any import of crops for ethanol production would depress domestic prices. Indian maize farmers were already struggling to recover the cost of cultivation, and imports would further aggravate agrarian distress, he said. Stressing that India’s dairy sector needed maximum protection, Mr. Kannaiyan said the country’s position as the world’s largest milk producer was built on a decentralised, household-based model involving small and marginal farmers. Any import of subsidised dairy products would severely affect domestic milk production and threaten the livelihoods of nearly 15 crore families dependent on the sector, he added.

He urged the Government of India to exclude agriculture and dairy from all free trade agreements, including the proposed India-U.S. FTA.