International RelationsAgriculture
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India-U.S. BTA: 40 Lakh Soybean Farmers, Apple Growers Affected by Tariff Elimination on US Imports

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
25 Jun 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:Feb 7, 2025June 24, 2026₹30,000 crore15 lakh families₹5,000-6,000 crore1.5 lakh families
Bodies:USTRMinistry of Commerce and IndustrySamyukt Kisan MorchaApple Farmers' Federation of India
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.India and the U.S. are negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA); an interim agreement was announced in February 2025.

2.Farmers' groups like SKM, KMM, and BKU are protesting tariff elimination on U.S. agricultural goods including soybean oil, DDGs, apples, and cotton.

3.Key concerns: price depression for domestic produce, structural inequality in farm size and subsidies, risk of GMO entry, and potential collapse of apple industry in Kashmir and Himachal.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations have sparked protests from Indian farmers over the proposed elimination of tariffs on heavily subsidised American agricultural products. This issue directly affects lakhs of farmers growing soybeans, cotton, maize, and apples, and links to GS2 topics on international trade, farm subsidies, and domestic agriculture policy.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Interim Agreement AnnouncementFebruary 7, 2025
USTR Visit to DelhiJune 24, 2026
Kashmir Apple Economy₹30,000 cr annual; 15 lakh families
Himachal Apple Economy₹5,000-6,000 cr annual; 1.5 lakh families
U.S. Apple Orchard Size (avg.)100 acres
Indian Apple Orchard Size (avg.)1-2 acres
Yield Disparity (apples)U.S. 50-80 t/ha vs India 6-7 t/ha
Indian Soybean Farmers40 lakh
U.S. Soya GM Share96%

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Interim Agreement Announcement: February 7, 2025
  • ›USTR Visit to Delhi: June 24, 2026
  • ›Target this Data: Interim agreement announced Feb 7, 2025; USTR Greer visit June 24, 2026.
  • ›Target this Data: Kashmir apple industry: ₹30,000 cr annual, 15 lakh families. Himachal: ₹5,000-6,000 cr, 1.5 lakh families.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Piyush Goyal), USTR (Jamieson Greer).
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Tariff elimination on US agricultural products; non-tariff barrier removal; commodity-specific concessions.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which Indian ministry is primarily responsible for negotiating the India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA):

1. The interim agreement was announced on February 7, 2025, and includes tariff elimination on a wide range of U.S. food and agricultural products.

2. India agreed to eliminate tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and all U.S. food and agricultural products.

3. USTR Jamieson Greer visited New Delhi on June 24, 2026, to review progress on the interim agreement.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricEasy

According to the article, how many families are associated with the apple trade in Kashmir?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary reason why Indian apple growers fear the India-U.S. BTA will devastate their industry?

All 25 MCQs ▸
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