Himachal Pradesh Government today requested the Central Government to enhance the import duty on apple fruits to safeguard the interests of apple growers of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and North-Eastern States.
Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta meets Union Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma at New Delhi today and said that developed countries like China had dumped the apples in domestic market which has crashed the apple market as a result of which the Himachal apple growers alone has suffered a loss of around Rs. 100 crore during current apple season.
Earlier in 2000-2001, then NDA Government had increased the import duty on apples to the level of 50%, and same step is needed to keep the safeguard of apple growers. Bragta requested the Union Government to intervene immediately into the matter so as to save the economic interests of the apple growing families in the hilly States. Anand Sharma appreciated the issue raised by State Government and ensured positive action of Central Government in this regard.
