Trump will investigate countries that use Puerto Rico to ‘dump’ rice.

Washington.- The President of the United States, Donald Trump, suggested this Monday that he will investigate countries like India, Thailand or China for allegedly using Puerto Rico as a gateway to sell rice in US territory at lower prices. “They shouldn’t be dumping,” the president stated during a roundtable with farmers at the White House. Trump asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to note the countries that, according to a farmer present at the event, would be trading rice unfairly.

“India, Thailand, and even China enter through Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico used to be one of the largest rice markets; we haven’t sent rice to Puerto Rico for years,” commented Meryl Kennedy, a Louisiana rice producer.

The president questioned Bessent about the specific case of India and asked him if the Asian country has any tariff exemptions for rice, something that the Treasury Secretary denied.

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“No, sir, we are still working on a trade agreement“, explained Bessent. Since August, Indian exports to the United States face high tariffs of 50% in retaliation for New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, and some agricultural products have exceptions to avoid a price increase in the United States, but this is not the case for rice.