Himachal minister Jagat Negi slams Modi govt, calls it ‘anti-apple orchardist’
TNR NEWS NETWORK
Shimla/New Delhi:
A sharp cut in import duty on apples from New Zealand under the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has sparked alarm among apple growers in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir, who fear a surge of cheaper imports will dent prices and deepen distress in the domestic horticulture sector.
Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi has accused the Narendra Modi government of pushing decisions that “run against the interests of farmers and orchardists”, saying hill states were ignored while finalising the pact.
Under the FTA, India has reduced the import duty on New Zealand apples from 50% to 25% within a quota framework. This means varieties such as Gala will now enter the Indian market at half the earlier duty, a move growers say could tilt the market against domestic produce.
Quota-led concessions raise alarm
New Zealand currently exports about 31,392.6 tonnes of apples annually to India. With the duty cut, imports are expected to rise sharply. The agreement provides a concessional quota of 32,500 tonnes in the first five years, which will be expanded to 45,000 tonnes from the sixth year onwards. Imports within the quota will attract only 25% duty, while shipments beyond it will continue to face the existing 50% levy.
What worries growers is the timing and scale. Imports will be allowed between April 1 and August 31, a window that overlaps with the marketing season of Indian apples. Farmer bodies fear that even quota-based inflows could depress wholesale prices, especially when domestic growers are grappling with rising input costs, climate stress and logistics bottlenecks.
The competitiveness gap is stark. New Zealand’s average apple yield is estimated at 53.6 tonnes per hectare, compared to India’s 9.2 tonnes per hectare, giving exporters there a significant cost advantage. Growers say the duty cut could effectively double imports over the next few years.
Kiwi, pear growers also uneasy
The FTA has triggered concern beyond apples. Kiwi growers fear a bigger hit as the agreement proposes eliminating import duty on kiwifruit, while duties on pears are also set to be reduced. Farmer unions argue that apple, kiwi and pear producers were left out of consultations, despite these crops forming the backbone of hill economies.
“The agreement has been framed with an eye on imports, not on protecting livelihoods in the mountains,” said Sanyukt Kisan Manch convener Harish Chauhan. Apple Producers’ Association coordinator Sanjay Chauhan called the tariff cut “deeply worrying”, noting that orchardists are already under pressure from rising fertiliser, pesticide and labour costs. “An influx of cheaper fruit will push many growers to the brink,” he said.
There is also apprehension that other countries could follow suit. The US, growers point out, has already sought tariff concessions on apples in a proposed bilateral trade deal with India.
‘Centre ignoring hill states’
Himachal Minister Jagat Singh Negi said the Centre’s approach reflected “systematic neglect” of hill farmers. “Reducing import duty for New Zealand will cause serious losses to our orchardists. In the very provisions of the FTA, the interests of apple, kiwi and pear growers have been overlooked,” he said, adding that the state would take up the issue with the Centre.
