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Informist, Monday, Jul. 7, 2025

 

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--Farm minister: Govt working on increasing protein content, starch in maize 
--CONTEXT: Farm Minister Chouhan speaking at 11th Maize Summit 
--Farm minister: Working to raise starch in maize to 72% from current 65-70% 
--Farm minister: Paddy cultivators in Madhya Pradesh now shifting to maize 
--Farm minister: India-US treaty to prioritise farmers' interest 
--CONTEXT: Farm Minister Chouhan on sidelines of 11th Maize Summit

 

NEW DELHI – Any trade treaty between India and the US will be negotiated with a focus on safeguarding the interest of Indian farmers, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Monday on the sidelines of the 11th Maize Summit here. His remarks come amid the ongoing negotiations for a trade deal, with the US pushing for greater market access, particularly for genetically modified corn.

 

Currently, India charges a 15% duty on maize imports up to 0.5 million tonnes annually, with imports above that threshold attracting a higher 50% duty. Moreover, India neither grows nor allows the import of genetically modified maize.

 

The minister's statement comes as negotiations enter a crucial phase ahead of the Jul. 9 deadline set by US President Donald Trump. If no agreement is reached by then, Washington is expected to impose 26% reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods — a move that could significantly impact Indian exports.

 

A key reason for the delay in the trade deal between the two countries has been a disagreement over market access in the farm sector, Informist reported exclusively on Friday. Trump has, on multiple occasions, expressed his interest in getting access to India's agriculture sector. But New Delhi draws the line at opening up the farm sector, according to the Informist report. The commerce ministry official said India will continue with its firm stance in this regard, the report said. 

 

Washington's reciprocal tariffs, if they do take effect Wednesday, may significantly hurt India's exports, as the US is India's top export destination with a 19.8% share in the country's total outbound shipments. India exported goods worth $86.51 billion to the US in the financial year 2024-25 (Apr-Mar) and had a trade surplus of $40.82 billion during the period, according to commerce ministry data.  

 

Meanwhile, the government aims to boost the quality of domestic maize to reduce import dependence and enhance export competitiveness. "Our scientists are researching on how to raise maize yields without going the genetically modified way. We are working to enhance the protein content and starch levels in maize," the minister said at the maize summit. He highlighted how efforts are being made to improve the quality of maize with an aim to increase the starch content in maize to 72% from the current levels of 65-70%.

 

The minister, noting the rise in maize acreage, said paddy cultivators in Madhya Pradesh are increasingly shifting to maize cultivation. This transition, even though not a positive development, is showing farmers' move towards a crop which has been beneficial to them, Chouhan said. Similarly, farmers of Punjab and Haryana need to diversify from paddy to maize, he said.

 

The government's initiatives to improve maize quality and yield are expected to further encourage farmers to adopt maize cultivation, he said. The focus on maize is part of the government's efforts to diversify agricultural production and promote crops that offer better economic returns to farmers, he added.   End

 

Reported by Pallavi Singhal

Edited by Subhojit Sarkar

 

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