President Donald Trump suggested that he will investigate countries such as India, Thailand or China for allegedly using Puerto Rico as a gateway to sell rice in the United States at lower prices.
“They shouldn’t be dumping,” the president said during a roundtable with farmers at the White House.
Trump asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to list the countries that, according to a farmer present at the event, were trading rice unfairly.
“India, Thailand and even China enter through Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico used to be one of the largest markets for rice; we have not sent rice to Puerto Rico in years,” said Meryl Kennedy, a rice producer from Louisiana, who assured that she would provide the president with a “complete list.”
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The president questioned Bessent about the particular case of India and asked him if the Asian country has any tariff exemption for rice, something that the Treasury Secretary denied.
“No, sir, we are still working on a trade agreement,” Bessent explained.
Since August, Indian exports to the United States have faced high tariffs of 50% in retaliation for New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
Some agricultural products have exceptions to avoid a price increase in the United States, but this is not the case with rice.
With information from EFE
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