(Image source from: AP)
Negotiations regarding the trade agreement between India and the US may face difficulties again, as pulses become a new point of disagreement this time. A couple of US lawmakers have requested President Donald Trump to encourage India to eliminate the 30 percent import fee on American pulses, arguing that American farmers are at a "major disadvantage" because of what they call "unfair" tariffs set by India. India’s action followed the Trump administration imposing high 50 percent tariffs on trade with them, which will likely make discussions about the US-India trade deal even more complicated. In their letter, Republican Senators Steve Daines from Montana and Kevin Cramer from North Dakota mentioned that their states lead in pulse crop production, including peas, while India is the largest consumer globally, making up roughly 27 percent of worldwide consumption.
In India, lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas are among the most popular pulse crops, but New Delhi has placed high tariffs on American exports in these areas. The US lawmakers pointed out that on October 30 of last year, India announced a 30 percent tariff on yellow peas, starting from November 1, 2025. "Due to the unfair Indian tariffs, US pulse crop producers encounter a considerable competitive disadvantage when trying to sell their high-quality products to India," the letter stated. The lawmakers suggested to Trump that talking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about pulse crop tariffs would help improve the economic relationship between the two nations, benefiting both American farmers and Indian consumers. They expressed gratitude to Trump for his efforts in creating a favorable environment for agricultural producers in North Dakota and Montana and recommended that as trade discussions continue, he should aim for favorable pulse crop terms in any agreements with India.
They also reminded that during Trump's first term, they had brought up this issue before the 2020 trade discussions with India and that the President had "hand-delivered" their message to PM Modi, which they believe helped US producers engage in negotiations. "As the United States wants to adjust trade imbalances, American farmers are ready to step in. They have great potential to feed and power the world if trade options are opened up," the lawmakers wrote in their letter. In their 2020 correspondence, which was sent before Trump's visit to India that year, the senators mentioned that "unfair" Indian tariffs on pulse crops had greatly affected US pulse crop producers, especially after India was taken out of the Generalized System of Preferences in June 2019, leading to extra duties on American exports.
