Lawmakers in the United States have called on President Donald Trump to press New Delhi to roll back its 30 per cent tariff and related restrictions on imported pulses, arguing that these measures put
American farmers at a serious competitive disadvantage in the Indian market.
In a letter, lawmakers from North Dakota and Montana, senators Kevin Cramer and Steve Daines, encouraged Trump for “favourable” pulse crop provisions in any trade deal with India.
The lawmakers noted that states such as North Dakota and Montana lead US production of pulse crops like peas, while India is the world’s biggest market for them. They said American growers suffered a setback after India imposed a 30 per cent import duty on yellow peas last year.
“As a result of unfair Indian tariffs, US pulse crop producers face a significant competitive disadvantage when exporting high-quality product to India,” the senators wrote.
Cramer and Daines said that during his earlier term in 2020, Trump had played a role in persuading Prime Minister Narendra Modi to engage with American farmers and include them in trade discussions.
“They have tremendous capacity to feed and fuel the world if trade opportunities are unleashed. Engaging PM Modi on pulse crop tariffs to enhance the economic cooperation between our countries would be mutually beneficially to both American producers and Indian customers,” the senators wrote in the letter.
India had announced on October 30, 2025, that it would impose a 30 per cent tariff on yellow peas, with the higher duty coming into effect on 1st November 2025. The letter pointed out that the most consumed pulse crops in India are lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas, adding that India has “levied substantial tariffs on American pulse crops.”
Stating that engagement with India’s PM Modi on pulse crop tariffs to enhance the economic cooperation would be mutually beneficial to both American producers and Indian customers, the senators added that American farmers are ready to help fill the gap as the US aims to rebalance trade disparities.
