AIKS meeting raises concerns over India-US FTA, farmer suicides, ethanol policy
The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) held its Central Kisan Committee (CKC) meeting on Sunday, June 29, 2026, focusing on the India-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Minimum Support Price (MSP) for kharif 2026, rising farm distress, farmer suicides, and the diversion of rice for ethanol production.
AIKS president Ashok Dhawale criticised the policies of the Narendra Modi-led government, stating that they have intensified challenges for farmers. He described the India-U.S. FTA and the India-New Zealand FTA as detrimental to farmers' interests, alleging that the government is prioritising global finance over domestic agriculture.
Dhawale compared agricultural spending in India with that of the European Union (EU). He noted that the EU's Common Agricultural Programme received 38% of the total EU budget (408.31 billion euros) from 2014 to 2020, while India's latest Union Budget allocated only ₹1.37 lakh crore (2.7% of total budget) to agriculture and allied sectors.
Highlighting disparities in farm subsidies between India and the United States, the meeting document stated that U.S. federal government pay-outs for farm programmes in 2026 are forecast at $44.3 billion for about 18.65 lakh farmers, implying per capita subsidies of $23,753. In contrast, India's farm subsidies amount to about $57.5 billion for 14.6 crore farmers, resulting in a per capita subsidy of around $373.
The document also pointed out that the average farm size in the U.S. is 469 acres, whereas in India it is about 2.67 acres, with 86% of farmers owning less than 5 acres and earning less than ₹1,64,000 annually.
Dhawale accused the government of land grabbing for corporate interests, citing the Great Nicobar mega project, which requires diverting over 130 sq. km of rainforest and tribal reserve land. He claimed that India is witnessing 1,095 ongoing land conflicts affecting nearly 1.42 crore people, with over 300 new cases of land acquisition, eviction, and displacement in the past year.
On farmer suicides, the meeting noted that over one lakh farmers have ended their lives in the past decade, attributing the causes to debt, inability to access government loans, and climate change. AIKS called for a movement to address the issue.
AIKS, established in 1936 by Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, has 1.33 crore members across 29 states. The organisation holds such meetings every six months to discuss agricultural policies and strategies.
