Kaithal, March 10: A tractor march was held in Haryana’s Pundri on Tuesday as farmers stepped up their opposition to a potential free trade agreement with the United States. Under the banner of BKU (Charuni), protesters argued that the deal would allow heavily subsidized American agricultural products to flood Indian markets, making it impossible for local smallholders to compete.
During a meeting at the Pundri grain market, union officials noted that while American farming operates as a large-scale business with significant government backing, Indian agriculture remains primarily a means of family sustenance. District president Gurnam Singh Farl declared that most Indian farmers manage less than 2.5 acres, whereas their U.S. counterparts often operate thousands of acres. He stated that the union has been consistently warning about the adverse impacts of such international trade policies.
“The proposed agreement is designed to benefit American farmers,” Kasana asserted, citing a reported $1.3 billion agricultural trade deficit the U.S. held with India in 2024. Protesters maintained that the removal of tariffs would ruin the domestic farming economy. To demonstrate their protest, the group burned copies of the proposed pact in front of the tehsil office.
The organization is now shifting its focus to a state-wide rally in Pipli later this month. Leaders affirmed that the upcoming March 23 gathering would not only focus on the trade deal but also highlight irregularities in paddy procurement and the demand for comprehensive loan waivers. The union stated that they remain committed to peaceful and democratic protests to ensure the concerns of the labor and farming communities are addressed by the government.
