On the contrary, all crops, vegetables, frozen vegetables, milk and milk products, meat, spices and fruits will be able to go to the USA at 0% tariff.
Chandigarh, 13 February: From the Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters, senior party leader Charanjit Singh Brar, while addressing a press conference, emphasized that only those countries progress whose raw material or products made from their raw material are sold in other countries. Exporting goods to foreign countries leads to the setting up of factories, and these factories generate employment for the youth of that state or country.
He said that a false narrative is being spread by opposition parties. Clarifying this, he stated that none of Punjab’s crops — including wheat, rice, barley, maize, soybean, millet, oats, maida and flour, all types of ethanol, mustard, cotton, kabuli chana, moong and other crops — have been given any concession by India to the USA.
Among vegetables, onion, potato, peas, beans, mushrooms, bottle gourd, pumpkin, cucumber, capsicum, okra etc. have not been allowed to be sent to India. On the contrary, all these vegetables and processed vegetables can be exported to the USA at 0% tariff.
Similarly, in dairy products, milk and products made from milk such as paneer, cream, butter, milk powder, ghee etc. have not been given any relaxation for entry into India. On the contrary, milk and milk products can be exported to the USA at 0% tariff.
Similarly, in spices, black pepper, clove, cardamom, dry/green chilli, coriander, cumin, asafoetida, ginger, turmeric, ajwain, fennel, fenugreek, mustard, rai, tea, coffee and all processed powders made from them have not been given any concession by India. On the contrary, these raw materials or processed spices can be exported to the USA at 0% tariff.
Similarly, in fruits, mango, banana, guava, pineapple, coconut, cashew, orange, grapefruit, kinnow, lemon, grapes, cherry, dried plum, tamarind, dried apple, water chestnut kernel, dates etc. have not been given any relaxation for import into India. On the contrary, these can be exported to the USA either in raw or processed form at 0% tariff.
In some items, minimum purchase quotas have been fixed. For example, feed required for animals and poultry — about 5 crore tons is imported from foreign countries, out of which only 1% (5 lakh tons) has been fixed to be imported from the USA. Similarly, about 5.50 lakh tons of apples are imported into India from foreign countries, out of which a quota of 1 lakh tons has been fixed from the USA. Earlier it used to reach India at ₹75 per kg, now it will reach at about ₹100 per kg. Similarly, 2.77 lakh tons of almonds are imported from foreign countries. Last year, 2.50 lakh tons came from the USA, and now a quota of 1 lakh tons has been fixed. Similarly, about 5.50 lakh tons of soybean oil is imported into India. In 2024–25, around 2 lakh tons came from the USA, yet only 1 lakh ton quota has been fixed.
All the above items were already being imported into India in large quantities. By fixing quotas on some items and allowing farmers’ crops or crop-based products to be exported to the USA at 0% tariff, farmers of Punjab and the country will benefit greatly.
Along with agriculture-related crops, cotton and textile industry, leather business, toy industry, component manufacturing for Punjab industries, and household goods sector will also see major growth. This is because competing countries such as China (35%), Vietnam (20%), Bangladesh (20%), and Indonesia (19%) face higher tariffs, while India faces around 18% tariff compared to these countries.
