Kashmiri apple farmers happy after Indian government amends apple import policy
Boxes of apples.
The apple farmers and traders in the Kashmir Valley are extremely happy after the Indian government decided to amend its import policy for apples. The central government recently changed the import policy of India for apples and also banned the import of apples below the minimum price.
The Government of India recently took a decision and introduced a Minimum Import Price (MIP) to protect the interest of the country's apple growers. The decision has been lauded by the apple growers across India, including those in Kashmir Valley and Himachal Pradesh.
The Jammu and Kashmir Fruit and Vegetable Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA), besides other farmers' associations in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, had pushed for a cap on such imports to save the local apple farmers of the country.
The Jammu and Kashmir Fruit and Vegetable Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA) had written to the Indian Ministry of Commerce's joint secretary highlighting the issue.
''I welcome the decision of the government that they have put a cap of Rs 50 on imports. It's a cap that the government has implemented. It will majorly hit the apple from Iran and Turkey. The other country's apples, like the United States, are already giving duty. This will benefit the Kashmiri apple growers. The apples from Iran and Turkey hit the market of Kashmir and Himachal. The local demand for our apples in the country will increase for sure,'' said Mohammad Shahid Chaudhary, General Secretary, JK Fruit Association.
The government issued an order on May 8 stating that "in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 read with section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, read with para 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, as amended from time to time, the Central Government hereby ITC (HS), 2022, amends the import policy position under ITC (HS) 08081000 of Chapter-08 of Schedule-I (Import Policy)".
According to the new Import Policy of India, the import of apples under ITC (HS) 08081000 is now 'prohibited' where the CIF import value is equal to or less than Rs 50per kg.
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However, these Minimum Import Price (MIP) conditions will not apply to imports from Bhutan. The previous season the apple growers of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal had to bear huge losses as apples at much lower cost were imported from the neighbouring countries.
As the input cost of apples is increasing rapidly, low market prices are discouraging apple cultivation in both Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
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