The president of the National Corn Growers Association said today that his organization fully supports the Trump administration’s effort to forge a new trade relationship with India, and corn growers urge the administration to include corn and corn co-products, such as ethanol and its byproducts, in any final agreement with the South Asian country.
The comments came during an online press conference as the organization released data showing India would be a valuable market for the nation’s corn growers and benefit rural America should the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to open the market to American goods prove effective.
“We applaud the Trump administration for the trade outreach it is conducting with India, and we will advocate over the next few months to encourage the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to include American corn exports in any new trade agreement it makes with the country,” said Illinois farmer and NCGA President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “Building a more level playing field for all American products to access global markets is exactly what corn growers need, especially as we face a projected third consecutive year of negative returns.”
Hartman added that the organization will continue working directly with the Trump administration and the media to highlight how beneficial an agreement with India would be for the nation’s corn growers.
The Trump administration has made India the initial focus of its efforts to open new markets for U.S. exports. During a CNN interview in early April, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called out India for its barriers to accepting corn from the United States.
India’s restrictions on genetically modified corn have blocked access for American corn imports, since 94% of American corn is genetically modified. India also imposes technical restrictions that prevent access for distiller dried grains with solubles, a byproduct from ethanol production used in animal feed and limits U.S. ethanol imports. India’s stance puts U.S farmers at a distinct disadvantage and addressing these barriers would benefit American farmers.
If the Indian government were to drop its restrictions on genetically modified corn, it could open the door to $235 million worth of U.S. exports each year, according to data released by NCGA. If the U.S. were able to supply India’s sustainable aviation fuel market, it would represent $434 million opportunity for U.S. corn farmers in the first year of the relationship.
India would also stand to benefit from this arrangement, with greater access to high quality feed and an affordable and more environmentally friendly renewable energy source.
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