US in India trip to rip down trade barriers

America's Best Genetics, CHS Inc, Scoular, US Livestock Genetics Export and US Soybean Export Council joined the five-day summit lead by Ted McKinney, under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

McKinney, making his first foreign trip as under secretary, will head a delegation of around 50 business, trade association and state government leaders in an attempt to grow US agribusiness exports to the world’s second-most populous country. 

Leaders arrive on Monday 30 October for the five-day trip that will seem them visit India’s two richest cities, New Delhi and Mumbai. Business leaders from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will also travel to India in an attempt to forge trade deals with the US companies and organisations present.

On the trade mission, McKinney said: “US agricultural exports to India have grown nearly 250% over the past decade, but the country’s barriers impede exports of many of our products.

“On this trip, I look forward to not only promoting U.S. farm and food products, but also to meeting with my Indian government counterparts to build relationships and address key trade policy issues in an effort to improve American access to this important market.”

The US sold around $1.3bn of agricultural goods to India in 2016. Nuts, cotton, pulses, fresh and processed fruits, and prepared foods made up nearly 80% of those exports. 

Meat does feature prominently: India imported over $380,000 worth of US beef, pork, poultry and lamb in the 12 months to July 2017, according to World Trade Stats.