Trump Hints at New Rice Tariffs on India

US President Donald Trump has signalled the potential imposition of new tariffs on imports of rice from India, fertilisers from Canada, and other agricultural products. The announcement, made on Monday, indicates that long-term trade agreements with these countries are far from finalised and that discussions are ongoing. Reports from Bloomberg have highlighted that the matter remains under active consideration.

The remarks were made during a roundtable meeting at the White House attended by US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, state legislators from agricultural regions, and farmers themselves. At the meeting, farmers expressed gratitude to the President for his ongoing support.

Trump announced a substantial aid package for American farmers, totalling $12 billion. Speaking at the event, he emphasised that domestic producers are being placed under pressure by cheap imports. “We want to protect our American farmers,” Trump said. “Tariffs will be a strong tool to ensure our farmers can compete fairly.”

Farmers have long argued that inexpensive imported goods make it increasingly difficult for them to survive in a competitive market. Some have accused countries like India and Thailand of artificially lowering the prices of their crops, effectively “dumping” them on the US market. Trump echoed these concerns, promising to monitor the situation closely.

“The US market should not be subject to dumping from foreign rice suppliers,” Trump declared. He further questioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the terms of trade with India, asking why such practices are allowed and whether any exemptions exist. Bessent responded that discussions over trade agreements are still ongoing, confirming that no special allowances are currently in place.

The President also suggested that tariffs could be imposed on fertiliser imports from Canada to strengthen domestic production. “A large portion of our fertiliser comes from Canada. If necessary, we will apply strict tariffs to support our local industry,” he said.

Earlier this year, Trump had already imposed tariffs of up to 50 percent on certain Indian goods, including a 25 percent tariff as part of sanctions on Russian oil imports. The latest comments indicate that the administration is prepared to continue leveraging tariffs to protect American farmers and domestic production.