US agri, dairy firms with financial muscles aim to control global markets, India stands firm
As US President Donald Trump slaps hefty tariffs on several countries including India, American agriculture and dairy companies with deep pockets and financial muscles are taking over free-wheeling global markets and aim to do the same with India, according to a new report.
New Delhi has categorically said it does not make trade deals under any pressure or deadlines, and there is no chance to compromise on farmers, dairy and agriculture interests.
“There is absolutely no chance of compromising on farmers, dairy and MSMEs, and no chance of allowing import of genetically-modified crops either,” said government officials.
There’s are some major US agriculture and daily companies which have presence in India.
According to a report by SBI Research, Cargill Inc is the world’s largest grain trader and largest privately held company in the US by revenue, involved in the production, trade, purchase and distribution of grain, palm oil livestock feed, starch, glucose syrup, and other agricultural commodities.
“Cargill, with a global presence across 70+ nations, having 60 odd subsidiaries and employing 1,55,000 personnel, is operating in India since 1987, in the fields of food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products, with revenues of Rs 13,850 crores during FY24,” the report informed.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) is an American food processing and commodities trading company which operates more than 270 plants and 420 crop procurement facilities across the globe.
ADM processes oilseeds, corn, wheat, cocoa and other agricultural commodities, operating through segments like Agri Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, Nutrition and animal feed. ADM also provides agricultural storage and transportation services.
“With 25 processing plants and 59 procurement centres in Asia-Pacific region, its presence in India since 2011 is primarily in oilseeds, food and beverage ingredients and animal nutrition. Globally its has ~38,000 personnel and operates in 200 countries,” said the report.
Bunge Global SA is an agribusiness and food company which purchases, stores, transports, and sells food and ingredients, edible oils, milling products, and fertilisers.
Bunge is present in India since 2001 with revenue growing to Rs 8,900 crore during the nine months of fiscal 2025.
Tyson Foods is one of the world's largest food companies and a leading producer and marketer of meat-based products. In India, it operates in a joint venture (JV) with Godrej group since 2015, said the report.
“A diversified global agribusiness cooperative owned by farmers, ranchers and member cooperatives across the US, CHS (Cenex Harvest States) offers innovative crop nutrition and crop protection products to empower retailers and farmers to grow healthy, profitable crops. With close to 10,000 personnel, it operates across 65 countries,” the SBI report noted.
US, despite faring low on milk production, remains a large processed items market.
In the year 2015, India's total milk production stood close to 155.5 million tonnes (EU 154.6 MT and US 94.6 MT). By 2024, India’s share had swelled to 211.7 MT (growth of 36 per cent), while EU (including Britain) grew to 165.9 MT and the US 102.5 MT, according to the report.
