Trump turns up heat on foreign farm imports as US growers blame cheap rice for price crash

US President Donald Trump has warned that new tariffs could be imposed on select agricultural imports, including Indian rice and Canadian fertilizers, as pressure mounts from farmers accusing foreign producers of undercutting American crops.

The comments, reported by Bloomberg, come amid stalled trade negotiations with India and Canada.

Trump’s remarks were made during a White House roundtable with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers from agricultural states, and farmers who credited him for announcing a $12-billion aid package aimed at stabilising the sector.

Multiple farmers at the meeting alleged that inexpensive imports — particularly rice from India and Thailand — were destabilising domestic prices. Responding to the concerns, Trump vowed to address what he called dumping practices.

“They shouldn’t be dumping… You can’t do that,” Trump said, asking Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent why India was “allowed” to ship low-priced rice into US markets. When told that a trade deal with India was still under negotiation, Trump added, “They should not be dumping… They cannot do that.”

US President also hinted at imposing steep duties on imported fertilizer from Canada, arguing that ramping up domestic production would protect American industry and reduce dependency on foreign suppliers.

“A lot of it comes in from Canada, and so we’ll end up putting very severe tariffs on that if we have to,” Trump said. “That’s the way you want to bolster here. And we can do it here.”

Earlier this year, the US imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods — including a 25% penalty linked to India’s purchases of Russian oil — signalling a widening trade confrontation even before Monday’s warning shot.

With negotiations unresolved and farmer anxiety mounting, Trump's message was unequivocal: foreign agricultural exporters may soon face a tougher American trade wall.