America Urges India to Allow Maize Imports

09-Apr-2025 08:28 PM

Chicago: The United States wants India to import American maize, despite India being largely self-sufficient in maize production and maintaining a ban on genetically modified (GM) maize, which is widely grown in the US.

India generally imports maize from Ukraine or Myanmar when needed, avoiding GM maize from the US, Brazil, or Argentina due to health and policy concerns.

The US Commerce Secretary criticized India’s trade policy, calling it an "undeclared ban" on American maize that hurts US farmers.

He urged the Indian government to open its agricultural market, suggesting that even a limited annual import quota could be a step forward.

GM crop exports, including wheat, soybean, and maize, are central to US agricultural trade, but global restrictions on GM food products continue to pose challenges.