US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose fresh tariffs on India and Canada, targeting Indian rice and Canadian fertilizer, saying such measures may be required to protect the interests of American farmers.
The announcement came on Friday at the White House, where Trump unveiled a $12 billion incentive package for US farmers. Speaking to reporters, he said the increased tariffs his administration has imposed on various countries have allowed the government to fund such support initiatives.
“Farmers are an essential resource for the United States. They are the backbone of this country. For years, neglect has held back the progress of American agriculture,” Trump told reporters. “Because of my tariff policies, we can now provide these incentives to farmers.”
He stressed that the tariff strategy is not solely aimed at revenue generation but also at protecting domestic industries. “Safeguarding American products, agriculture, and industry is one of the primary goals of our policies. Protecting US entrepreneurs and internal production is our responsibility.”
Reporters questioned Trump about why Indian rice continues to dominate the US retail market and why Indian companies still hold significant control over that sector. In response, Trump hinted at quick action.
“You remind me of something important—and many others have said the same. We will look into it. The solution is very simple… imposing tariffs again will fix the issue in two minutes,” he said.
Regarding possible tariffs on Canadian fertilizer, Trump said imports from Canada have surged to such an extent that they are undercutting the US domestic fertilizer market. “To protect our own producers, we may have to impose high tariffs on Canadian fertilizer,” he added.
On April 2, Trump’s administration imposed increased export tariffs on more than 100 countries, with India and Canada among those facing the highest rates—50 percent and 35 percent respectively.
In November, however, the US withdrew tariffs on several Indian products, including pepper, cloves, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and ginger. All varieties of Indian tea—such as Assam and Darjeeling—were also exempted. But tariffs remain in place on basmati rice, shrimp, and other seafood.
