India–US trade deal puts farmers first: Chouhan

Agra: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the India–US trade deal was in favour of the country's farmers and that their interests had been safeguarded by the Prime Minister.Speaking to the media during his one-day visit to Mathura, Chouhan said the agreement reflected India's approach of putting national interest first. He described the deal as an example of diplomacy and development, with farmers' concerns kept at the forefront."I thank the Prime Minister for ensuring that the interests of India's farmers were fully protected in the India–US trade deal. It is an agreement in the national interest," Chouhan said in Vrindavan.He said several sensitive agricultural items had been kept outside the agreement and that no tariff concessions were given on products such as soybean, corn, rice, wheat, sugar, coarse grains, poultry, dairy products, banana, strawberry, cherry, citrus fruits, green peas, chickpeas, mung beans, oilseeds, ethanol and tobacco.Later in the day, Chouhan visited Govardhan in Mathura, where he and his family performed the circumambulation of Govardhan Maharaj and took part in religious rituals.