No compromise on farm subsidies: Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar

Vijay C Roy

Chandigarh, January 30

Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Tomar on Monday defended the government’s policy on farm subsidies and said India’s interest would be safeguarded during the G20 deliberations.

“The support for agriculture production cannot be diluted. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s interest will be protected,” he told the media after the inauguration of a two-day G20 International Financial Architecture Working Group meeting here.

In the past, several developed countries mounted pressure for eliminating farm subsidies on the ground that it was harmful to biodiversity. These subsidies make Indian agricultural produce competitive in the international market. Although the EU members in 2021 tried to rationalise such subsidies to their farmers as part of common agricultural policy, various kinds of financial support continue to exist in several countries in the form of their rural development plans.

On the impact of climate change on agriculture, the Union Minister said: “Climate change is not only restricted to India. It is a global challenge. The matter will be discussed year-long G20 deliberations so that we can have seeds or crops which can meet climate challenges and productivity is not affected.”

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