Srinagar, Dec 26: Apple growers across Kashmir have expressed deep concern over the reduction of customs duty on apples imported from New Zealand under the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), saying the move could adversely impact prices of local produce and threaten their livelihoods.
The anxiety among growers has intensified as cold storage facilities in the Valley are about to open. Farmers fear that the entry of cheaper imported apples into the domestic market at this crucial juncture could depress prices of Kashmiri apples, which are currently stored and awaiting release.
“Every year, new challenges emerge for Kashmir’s apple industry,” said Bashir Ahmad Basheer, President of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union. “Sometimes apples are imported from Iran, sometimes from the United States and other countries, and now New Zealand has been added to the list. These developments consistently put pressure on our local apple industry.”
Basheer said that the cumulative impact of such imports has been damaging for local growers, especially small and marginal farmers who are already struggling with rising input costs, erratic weather, pest attacks and transportation issues.
“The reduction in customs duty will make imported apples cheaper, and traders naturally prefer them. This directly affects the pricing of our apples in the market,” he added.
Growers said most of the Valley’s apple produce is currently in cold storage. “When cold storages open, we expect fair prices to recover our costs. But if imported apples flood the markets, our produce will be pushed aside or sold at distress rates,” said an apple grower from Shopian, often referred to as the apple bowl of Kashmir.
Another grower from Sopore said the local industry employs lakhs of people directly and indirectly. “From orchardists and labourers to traders and transporters, the apple economy sustains a large population in Kashmir. Any policy decision that hurts apple prices affects the entire Valley,” he said.
Basheer urged the government to adopt a more balanced approach while entering into international trade agreements. “We are not against trade or imports, but the government must consider its own domestic industry before taking such decisions. Safeguards are necessary to protect local farmers from unfair competition,” he said.
Growers have also demanded minimum import price mechanisms, better market interventions, and stronger promotion of Kashmiri apples at the national and international level to ensure that local produce remains competitive.
The apple industry is the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s rural economy, contributing significantly to employment and exports. Farmers warned that continued policy neglect could push many orchardists into financial distress, calling on the Centre to review the impact of the duty reduction and hold consultations with stakeholders from the Valley—(KNO)
