"Small, breakaway faction" of SKM called for nationwide protests: Piyush Goyal says most farmers understand benefits of India-US interim trade agreement

New Delhi [India], February 8 (ANI): Amid a call for nationwide protests by the the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that it was a "very small and a breakaway" faction of the farmers' organisation that has given the call while most farmers in the country understand the benefits of the India-US interim trade agreement.
He said the central government was open to meeting with farmers' delegations to address any questions about the India-US interim trade agreement on agricultural products.
He stated that most farmers in India already understand the benefits, noting that India exports farm and fish products worth Rs 5 lakh crore annually, with the potential to double in the coming years.
"I'm happy to meet any farm delegations or any persons who may have any misgivings on this. I have an open-door policy on this. Our (Union) Agriculture Minister, Shivrat Singh Chauhan, even yesterday was in Madhya Pradesh with nine states' agriculture ministers, and they celebrated both these agreements, the EU and the US. I think farmers understand the huge potential and the possibilities of increasing their income thanks to the new markets that will open up for them," Goyal said in an interview with ANI.
"If anybody, any farm organisation, any journalist, any newspaper, any expert on farm economy has any concerns, please reach out to us. I'm asking because the Samyukt Kisan Morcha has said there will be a nationwide protest next week. I suspect that a very small, breakaway faction has made this call. Most farmers in the country recognise that this is beneficial to them. They are already exporting 5 lakh crores worth of farm and fish products. This can double in the next few years. They understand that we have opened up large opportunities," he added.
Goyal further clarified that India's agricultural products would face lower reciprocal tariffs than those of competitors, with certain items, including tea, coffee, spices, coconut, coconut oil, and vegetable wax, remaining zero-tariff.
"All our agri products now will have a lower reciprocal tariff than our competition at 18%. In addition, I'll read out some items where we reduced reciprocal tariffs to zero. As with tea and coffee, and their extracts, there'll be zero tariff. On spices, there'll be zero tariff. On coconut or coconut oil, there'll be zero tariffs. On vegetable wax, zero tariff," he added.
The Union Minister further claimed that farmers were being misled by a "few political elements" who, he said, were attempting to "distort issues" and divert attention from the support the central government had secured for them in the India-US interim trade agreement.
"Sadly, a few political elements do try to distort issues or misrepresent them. They try to divert from the support we have provided in these agreements or mislead them with falsehoods. And I think it's very sad that they are playing with the sentiments with these very simple and very well-meaning farmers. I would appeal to everybody to desist from misleading farmers," Goyal said.
Goyal's remarks come after the SKM, along with its non-political breakaway faction and other farmers' organisations, voiced opposition to the India-US interim trade agreement and called for nationwide protests against it. (ANI)