Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa issued a strong warning that the proposed Indo-US trade deal could severely damage the livelihoods of Indian farmers, particularly in Punjab, by exposing them to unfair competition from heavily subsidised American agriculture.
He called upon farmers across the country to unite once again to safeguard their economic future and demand protection from policies that undermine their survival.
Bajwa said US farmers received some of the highest levels of government support in the world. Large farms in the US receive direct yearly payments of nearly Rs 60 lakh, while even intermediate and part-time farmers get Rs 7-11 lakh annually. Beyond these direct payments, the US government spends between ?2.7 lakh crore and ?4.5 lakh crore every year on farm support through crop insurance subsidies, price guarantees, export incentives, disaster bailouts and ultra-cheap credit system.
“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 said