Centre fixes minimum import price for apple, growers of Himachal, J&K elated

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, May 8

Providing a major relief to the apple growers of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre has fixed Minimum Import Price (MIP) for apple by amending its import policy. As per the notification issued by the Director General of Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce, “Import of apples under ITC (HS) 08081000 is prohibited wherever the CIF import price is less than or equal to Rs 50 per kilogram.” The CIF import price comprises cost, insurance and freight.

Should have been higher: Manch

Sanyukt Kisan Manch has been demanding increase in the import fee. It hasn’t been done yet but this decision will provide the much-needed relief. The minimum import price should have been higher, but it’s a positive move nonetheless.

Sanjay Chauhan, co-convener of sanyukt kisan manch

Welcoming the decision, the growers from HP and Jammu and Kashmir say the move will help them compete with the imported apple, particularly from Iran. “The cheap Iranian apple has broken the backbone of the indigenous apple growers. It’s available in market for prices as low as Rs 35-40 per kg. It’s impossible for the local growers to compete with apple priced so low. Our per kg cost of production comes to around Rs 25-30,” said Harish Chauhan, convener of the Hill State Horticulture Forum, which consists of apple growers from Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.

Majid Aslam Wafai, a representative of apple growers from Jammu and Kashmir in the forum, said they had been discussing it with the government for quite some time. “Finally, the decision has been made and it will provide the much-needed support to the apple growers. The decision will push up the price of the Iranian apple, which means our apple too will fetch a better price,” said Wafai.

For the last couple of years, apple growers have been protesting against the rising input costs, which have significantly reduced their profit margins. The increase in the arrival of cheaper apple from Iran and Turkey has made the situation tougher. They had been demanding without success that the import duty on apple be increased from 50 per cent to 100 per cent.

Lokinder Bisht, president of Progressive Growers Association said, “The minimum import price needed to be a little higher to protect our apple against the arrival from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries. There’s no import duty on apple coming through these countries. So, a slightly higher MIP would have provided more protection to our apple,” said Bisht.