Shimla – In a concerning trend, approximately 2 crore boxes of apples have flooded the Indian market, imported from 30 different countries, between January 2023 and November 2023. The staggering quantity of foreign apples has significantly impacted the demand for locally grown Himachali apples stored in Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, leading to substantial losses for orchard owners running into crores.
The major contributors to this influx of foreign apples include Iran, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Chile, the USA, and Brazil. Of particular concern is the illegal entry of Iranian apples into India, primarily facilitated through Afghanistan, exploiting the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) loophole. As a result, Iranian apples enter the Indian market without paying duty, making them significantly cheaper than their domestic counterparts.
Currently, around one crore boxes of apples from Himachal Pradesh’s orchards are stored in CA facilities, and growers fear substantial financial setbacks due to the large-scale import of inexpensive foreign apples.
With this growing crisis, Himachali orchard owners are advocating for a temporary ban on foreign apple imports until the local apple supply is depleted. Their demands include raising the base rate on apple imports from Rs 50 to Rs 100 per kg and imposing a 100 percent import duty on apples from foreign countries. These measures, they argue, are crucial for ensuring fair prices for locally cultivated apples.
Responding to the concerns of the apple growers, the Himachal Pradesh Government has urged the Central Government to take immediate action. Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi emphasized the need to increase the import duty on foreign apples to 100 percent. Additionally, the Himachal Government is pushing to elevate the issue of apple growers prominently in the World Trade Organization (WTO) to seek international support for protecting the interests of local farmers.
