The government of India agreed to allow imports of pork and pork products originating in the United States, removing a long-standing barrier to American agricultural trade.

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the agreement on Monday.

The news follows the successful revitalization of the United States-India Trade Policy Forum held in New Delhi in November 2021, during which Tai raised access to the importance of pork from the United States with the Minister of Commerce of the India, Piyush Goyal.

«India’s agreement to allow US pork imports for the first time is great news for US producers and for Indian consumers,» Tai said.

In 2020, the United States was the world’s third-largest producer of pork and the world’s second-largest exporter, with global sales of pork and pork products valued at $ 7.7 billion.

In fiscal year 2021, the United States exported more than $ 1.6 billion in agricultural products to India.

«We will continue to work to strengthen the trade relationship between the United States and India and I appreciate Minister Goyal’s efforts to facilitate this important development,» Tai added.

Pork imports

«This new opportunity marks the culmination of nearly two decades of work to gain access to the US pork market in India, and signals a positive move in US-Indian trade relations,» Secretary Vilsack said. .

In 2020, China ranked as the largest importer of pork, with 11.881 million dollars.

Excluding processed products, India only imported $ 1.4 million of pork last year.

«We will continue to work with the Indian government to ensure that the US pork industry can begin shipping its high-quality products to consumers as soon as possible,» Vilsack said.

U.S. pork exports in 2020 were $ 5.989 million, surpassed only by Spain ($ 6.461 million).