Reports of the union government considering a reduction in import levies on apples, walnuts, almonds, and cranberries have alarmed local cultivators in Jammu and Kashmir. Growers fear that the move could undercut local produce by allowing cheaper imports to flood wholesale markets, threatening their livelihoods.
Reports about a possible reduction in import duties on Washington apples, walnuts, almonds and cranberries before US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariff are rolled out on April 2 have raised significant concerns with growers’ federations in the Valley beginning to voice their worries.
Zahoor Ahmad Rather, president Apple Farmers’ Federation of India (AFFI), J&K chapter, said the move would impact apple growers across the apple-producing states of India.
“Our farmers cannot compete with those in the US, where farmers receive over 32 per cent in subsidies, while ours receive no more than 3.5 per cent,” said Rather.
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union (KVFGDU) wrote separate letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare raising their concern over the reduction of import duties on the Washington apple.
“Washington apples will flood Indian markets if the government lowers import duties on them,” said Bashir Ahmad Bashir, chairman KVFGDU.
He said that they had serious apprehensions about the government even making the Washington apples duty free.
“We have conveyed our concerns to the Prime Minister and Union Minister for Agriculture through separate communications,” Bashir said.
He said that the move would impact over 7 lakh families associated with the apple industry.
Over the last few years, the apple industry suffered heavy losses due to frequent closure of Jammu-Srinagar following elaborate roadworks, Covid -19 induced lock downs and climate change.
The apple farmers had long been demanding 100 percent import duties on the US and Iranian apples. However, in 2023, the union government waived 20 percent additional retaliatory duty imposed on premium Washington apples in 2019, prompting the farmers to protest against the move.
Echoes in Assembly
On March 12, the legislators in the Assembly raised concern over the government’s plans to lower the import duty on apples, walnuts and almonds.
National Conference MLA, Tanvir Sadiq drew the attention of the House to the issues, arguing that the move would severely affect the livelihood of thousands of families.
Many legislators , particularly from the apple rich districts of south Kashmir, rose from their seats to express their concern.
