CM Sukhu Demands 100% Import Duty, Seasonal Ban to Protect Himachal’s Apple Economy.
New Delhi:
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today urged the Union Government to take immediate steps to protect Himachal Pradesh’s apple growers from the impact of cheap foreign imports. In a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, CM Sukhu sought urgent intervention to safeguard the livelihoods of over 2.5 lakh apple-growing families in the state.
Advocating strongly for the interests of local orchardists, the Chief Minister proposed including apples in the ‘Special Category’ to shield domestic growers from unfair international competition. He pressed for a seasonal ban on apple imports from July to November, coinciding with Himachal’s peak production window, and a 100 percent import duty on apples during off-season months to prevent dumping of foreign produce in the Indian market. Additionally, he requested that quantitative restrictions be imposed on apple imports to stabilize domestic prices.
CM Sukhu highlighted that a delegation of progressive orchardists had met him earlier this week, raising concerns over the reduction in import duty on apples from New Zealand, which has negatively impacted the local apple economy. He noted that Himachal Pradesh, famously known as the “Apple State of India,” generates an annual income of approximately Rs. 4,500 crore from apple production, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the state’s total fruit production.
“This is not just about fruit; it is about the livelihood and sustenance of 2.5 lakh families and the generation of 10 lakh man-days of employment,” CM Sukhu emphasized. He warned that small and marginal farmers are being pushed to the brink by trade policies that favor foreign corporations over Indian farmers.
The Chief Minister also expressed concerns over the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand, which has led to a 2.5-fold increase in apple imports over the past decade. He pointed out that the 25 percent duty exemption for New Zealand apples between April and August has depressed prices for local apples stored in cold storage, severely harming the off-season trade for Himachal’s growers.
CM Sukhu called for effective measures to protect the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers and stressed that urgent government intervention was required to ensure the sustainability of Himachal’s apple economy. While addressing the media, he also questioned the silence of the state’s BJP leadership and urged them to raise the issue at the central level to protect the interests of Himachali farmers.
This move by the state government reflects a concerted effort to secure economic and trade safeguards for apple growers while ensuring the sustainability of Himachal Pradesh’s primary fruit industry.
