Impose 100% import duty on foreign apples: PDP leader

Srinagar, July 12

Kashmir’s apple orchard owners are facing a severe crisis and to save them from financial doom, it is imperative to impose 100 per cent import duty on foreign apples, said Waheed Para, a senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader.

“Union government’s last year decision to abolish 20 per cent duty on Washington apples and allowing imports from the US, Iran and South Africa has led to apple prices plummeting from Rs 1,200 to Rs 600 per box, delivering a devastating blow to Valley growers,” Para said on Friday.

Stating that this policy change, combined with skyrocketing input costs, has now forced Kashmiri farmers to sell their crops at unsustainable prices, Para added, “The influx of cheap foreign apples have flooded our markets, undermining local produce and endangering the livelihood of our farmers.”

“This situation not only threatens our agricultural economy but also jeopardizes the centuries-old tradition of apple cultivation in Kashmir,” he said.

Urging the government to institute the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) and impose 100% import duty on foreign apples immediately, senior PDP leader said, “This decisive action is vital to preserve the livelihoods of thousands of apple growers.”

“Notably, while US farmers receive a 32 per cent subsidy, domestic farmers in India are afforded a mere 2.5 per cent, further exacerbating the inequity,” he said.

He said the government has a solemn duty to safeguard the farmers and their means of subsistence. “By enforcing a 100 per cent import duty on foreign apples, we can prevent further losses and protect our growers. This is not merely an economic imperative; it is a matter of survival for Kashmiri farmers and the preservation of our heritage,” said Para. He also said Kashmir’s apple industry is not just an economic backbone but “a symbol of our resilience and identity.”

“It is high time the government prioritises the well-being of J&K’s farmers over profit-driven policies and ensures the protection and prosperity of local growers,” he said.