US President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that he is considering extra tariffs on rice imported from India. He argued that “they shouldn't be dumping” rice in the United States. He made the remark during a White House meeting where he introduced $12 billion in new support for American farmers.

Farmers Highlight Price Drops

Trump said he had learned about falling rice prices from Meryl Kennedy, the founder and CEO of Kennedy Rice Mills and 4 Sisters Rice. She reportedly told him that increasing imports were hurting American growers. Trump said he planned to deal with the issue soon.

India, Thailand and China Named

During the meeting, officials gave Trump a list of countries accused of “dumping rice” into the US. The list included India, Thailand and even China.

Trump questioned treasury secretary Scott Bessent about India’s trade status. He asked, “Tell me about India. Why is India allowed to do that? They have to pay tariffs, do they have an exemption on rice?”

Bessent replied, “No, sir, we are still working on their trade deal so…,” before Trump cut in. Trump said, “Yeah, but they shouldn't be dumping. I mean I heard that from others too. You can't do that.”

The president added that he would “take care” of the alleged dumping.

Push for More Domestic Production

Besides rice imports, Trump also commented on fertiliser coming from Canada. He hinted that he may impose tariffs to boost US-based manufacturing.

He said, "A lot of it does come in from Canada, and so we'll end up putting very severe tariffs on that, if we have to, because that's the way you want to bolster here." He added, "And we can do it here. We can all do that here."

Economic Pressures and Farmer Concerns

His remarks come at a time when inflation and rising consumer prices continue to worry the administration. American farmers, who form a strong political base for Trump, have been dealing with higher costs and market uncertainty linked to previous tariff decisions.

Trade Talks With India and Canada Face Strain

Trade discussions with India and Canada have seen limited progress. Earlier this year, Trump imposed 50% tariffs on a range of Indian goods, citing unfair trade barriers and India’s purchase of foreign energy. A US team is set to visit India this week for further negotiations, but officials do not expect a major breakthrough.

Tensions With Canada Not New

Trump has also pushed back against Canada on trade earlier. He has previously threatened to increase tariffs on items not covered under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Recent comments suggest he may even consider reopening parts of the agreement.