Why in news?

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister has urged the Centre to raise import duty on foreign apples from 50% to 100% and impose a seasonal ban on imports from July to November to protect about 2.5 lakh apple farmers. Apples account for nearly 80% of the state’s fruit output.

The demand follows the Centre’s decision to cut import duty on New Zealand apples to 25% for April–August under the India–New Zealand FTA.

Jammu and Kashmir has echoed similar concerns, warning that rising imports add to existing challenges faced by domestic apple growers.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India Cuts Import Duty on New Zealand Apples Under FTA
• Apple Production in India: J&K and Himachal at the Core
• Farmers’ Concerns Over Cheaper Imports
• Farmers’ Demands for Protection

India Cuts Import Duty on New Zealand Apples Under FTA

• Under the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, India has reduced import duty on New Zealand apples from 50% to 25% under a quota system.
• The quota starts at 32,500 tonnes in the first year and rises to 45,000 MT by the sixth year.
• Imports must meet a minimum import price of $1.25 (₹113.6) per kg, while shipments beyond the quota will continue to attract the higher 50% duty.

Apple Production in India: J&K and Himachal at the Core

• India produces around 28 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of apples annually.
• Jammu & Kashmir dominates output with about 20 LMT, followed by Himachal Pradesh at 5–6 LMT.
• The remaining production comes from Uttarakhand and a few north-eastern states, where cultivation is still nascent.
• The apple economy is valued at roughly ₹12,000 crore in J&K and ₹4,500 crore in Himachal Pradesh, making growers in these two states the most vulnerable to increased imports and tariff concessions.

Farmers’ Concerns Over Cheaper Imports

• Apple growers are worried about the overlap between New Zealand’s export window and India’s off-season market.
• In India, apples are harvested between July and November, while off-season sales depend on cold storage and Controlled Atmosphere (CA) facilities.
• New Zealand, however, harvests apples between January/February and May, allowing it to supply fresh apples when Indian farmers sell stored produce.
• Impact on Domestic Prices and Sales
  • Farmers warn that lower import duties will make foreign apples cheaper than domestic produce, directly affecting sales.
  • In Jammu & Kashmir, high-density varieties like Gala arrive in June, while Royal Delicious reaches markets by September.
  • Since the duty cut applies from April to August, growers fear significant losses during peak marketing periods.
• Threat to Market Share
  • Orchardists from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir argue that cheaper imports will depress domestic prices, reduce market share.
  • It will hit farmers hardest during the off-season, undermining incomes in India’s key apple-producing regions.

Challenges Beyond Import Competition

• Climate Stress and Falling Yields - Apple production in HP and J&K has been hit hard by climate change, erratic weather, reduced snowfall, prolonged dry spells, floods, cloudbursts and landslides.
  • These factors have weakened orchards and lowered productivity.
• Rising Disease Burden - Changing climatic conditions have led to a surge in plant diseases such as fire blight, apple scab, powdery mildew, sooty blotch and bitter rot.
  • Reduced snowfall and higher temperatures have worsened water scarcity, increasing disease vulnerability during dry seasons.
• Production Losses and Quality Decline - In 2023, Himachal’s apple output fell to 4.84 LMT, nearly 28% lower than 2022, following devastating floods.
  • Although production recovered to 6.87 LMT in 2025, excessive rainfall and disasters caused quality deterioration, with nearly 1 LMT rejected for poor size and quality.
• Infrastructure and Transport Bottlenecks - Logistical disruptions have compounded farmers’ problems.
  • The prolonged closure of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) due to landslides last year stranded hundreds of trucks during peak harvest, delaying market access and causing losses.

Farmers’ Demands for Protection

• Given these cumulative pressures, farmers’ groups have demanded 100% import duty on foreign apples, a July–November import ban, special category protection, and higher subsidies.
• They argue that unlike countries such as New Zealand, where apple farming is heavily subsidised and insured, Indian growers receive limited direct support.
• Farmer leaders stress that instead of increasing exposure to foreign competition, the government should focus on targeted support, productivity enhancement, and resilience-building for domestic apple growers.