Katherine Tai: India’s Tariff Removal Boosts US Farmers

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced on Tuesday that India’s move to lift retaliatory tariffs on numerous US goods has enhanced accessibility to chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, and apples, resulting in favorable outcomes for farmers nationwide.

During her testimony at the House Ways and Means Committee Hearing on the President’s 2024 Trade Policy Agenda, Tai noted that India and the US concluded the last remaining WTO dispute in September of the previous year, with India consenting to lower tariffs on numerous US products.

“Last June, India and the United States terminated six WTO disputes, and India agreed to remove retaliatory tariffs on several US products. This means improved access for chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, and apples, benefiting farmers across the country, including in Michigan, Oregon, and Washington,” Katherine Tai said.

“Additionally, in September, India and the United States resolved our final outstanding WTO dispute, and India agreed to reduce tariffs on several US products. This means more market access for turkey, duck, blueberries, and cranberries, benefiting farmers in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin,” she added.

In September, Katherine Tai revealed that India and the US had reached an agreement to settle their final unresolved dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and reduce tariffs on specific US agricultural items. These include frozen turkey, frozen duck, fresh blueberries, cranberries, frozen blueberries, cranberries, dried blueberries, cranberries, and processed blueberries and cranberries.

The declaration coincided with US President Joe Biden’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 in New Delhi, preceding the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

The joint statement released by India and the US after the meeting between the two leaders said, “The leaders lauded the settlement of the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute between India and the United States.”

Significantly, the resolution of the six disputes at the WTO occurred during PM Modi’s state visit to the US in June. India additionally committed to lowering tariffs on specific US products, encompassing chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents.