NEW DELHI: US Department of Agriculture under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney will lead a delegation to India from October 30 to push US farm exports to the world's second-most-populous nation.
USDA said in a statement that a delegation of 50 businesses, trade associations and state government leaders will travel to New Delhi and Mumbai, connecting with potential customers and learning first-hand about local market conditions.
"US agricultural exports to India have grown nearly 250 per cent over the past decade, but the country's barriers impede exports of many of our products," the statement said quoting McKinney.
"On this trip, I look forward to not only promoting US farm and food products, but also to meeting with my Indian government counterparts to build relationships and address key trade policy issues in an effort to improve American access to this important market," he added.
US agricultural exports to India totalled nearly USD 1.3 billion last year with tree nuts, cotton, pulses, fresh as well as processed fruits and prepared foods accounting for more than 80 per cent of those exports.
India is also a major market for US ethanol exports.
The United States is India's top ethanol supplier, with sales totalling nearly USD 176 million in 2016, the statement said.