Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday expressed concern over reports of “zero tariff” on US imports under a proposed Indo-US trade deal, warning that the move could severely impact Indian agriculture, if farm products were included.In a statement issued here, Warring said the absence of clarity on the scope of the agreement had created anxiety among farmers, particularly in Punjab. He said there were fears that agricultural products from the US could be allowed in India without any tariff, which would harm domestic farmers.Warring alleged while US imports might be allowed at zero tariff, Indian products could face 18 per cent duty. If agricultural imports were included in the zero-tariff regime, he said, it would deal a serious blow to farmers and damage the agriculture-based economy, with Punjab being the worst affected.He said PM Narendra Modi must explain to the country, and to farmers, in particular, that their interests had not been compromised in the proposed deal. Failure to do so, he warned, could lead to strong opposition from farmers.Warring said the issue was not limited to farmers’ livelihoods but had wider implications for the country’s economic stability.
