Tariffs not best way to uplift farmers: US official

The Indian Express, Pranav Mukul, Feb 22, 2018

Expressing disappointment at India’s proposal to adopt a cost-based minimum support price (MSP) that would be 50 per cent higher than the cost of production, the US Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agriculture Affairs Ted McKinney said that tariffs were not the best way to uplift farmers and are not in the best interest of the consumers.
“Tariffs, anywhere in the world, are understood at times but problematic most times. We had a very long sigh when we read that there was intent for more tariffs because it does not promote free trade … we just hope that the Indian government and its consumers and processors understand that they are paying a very high cost for food and it could be lowered. This comes with time, we learned those lessons as well and we changed our programs. We don’t do subsidies anymore despite what people think anymore,” McKinney told reporters on Wednesday.
The government had declared minimum support price for the majority of rabi crops at least one and a half times the cost of production, and in his speech for Union Budget 2018-19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Centre has decided to implement this resolution as a principle for the rest of the crops.
McKinney pointed out that tariffs are not a good thing if India wanted to get into free trade and if it wanted highest quality and at lowest cost, adding that in the long term, the US would like to have a free trade agreement with India. “We have a lot to work through before we get to that point,” he said. According to data provided by the US government, during the calendar year 2017, India exported agricultural commodities worth $2.6 billion to the country, while the imports from there were at $1.6 billion. “There is a significant trade deficit in India’s favour … That’s a sour point a bit …,” he said and noted that the US is investing time in building relations with India to strike the right balance over the time.
Further, McKinney said that the US was keen to export soybean meal — an animal feed — to India and wanted the later to reduce the customs duty on the product. “We would like to have access to the (soybean meal) market … I think that brings more profitability to farmers … you may export the meal but we are told by your own feed processors that they need more protein,” he said.

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