The Indian government’s decision to relax customs duty on apples imported from the United States has upset apple growers in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
The growers fear that the cheaper US apples will flood the Indian market and undercut their prices. They are also concerned that the Indian government is not doing enough to support the local apple industry.
The President of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Dealers Union, Bashir Ahmad Bashir, said the move will have a negative impact on Kashmiri apples. He said that the Indian government must reconsider the decision, taking into account the losses the farmers will suffer.
The apple growers in IIOJK maintain that they have faced a lot of problems due to the 2019 shutdown and the Covid-19 lockdown, and now the further reduction of import duties from the US products will affect their business.
Manzoor Ahmad Mir, an apple grower from North Kashmir’s Sopore told the media that the American apple growers are provided huge subsidies by the government while the growers from occupied Kashmir don’t have such options. He said that he thinks the Indian government wants to cripple the apple industry in Kashmir.
The horticulture sector plays an important role in IIOJK and contributes significantly to its economy. In 2019, Kashmir produced about 1.9 million metric tons of apples. As per the official figures, horticulture is a source of livelihood for 33 lakh people. About seven lakh families are directly or indirectly involved and depend on this sector.
The Indian government’s decision to relax customs duty on US apples is a setback for the apple growers in IIOJK. It is a move that will benefit the US apple growers at the expense of the Kashmiri growers. The Indian government must reconsider this decision and take into account the impact it will have on the local apple industry.The Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a protest on Wednesday against the abolition of import duties on foreign apples, denouncing it as an act of economic adversity inflicted upon the farmers and fruit growers of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Suhail Bukhari, Chief Spokesperson for PDP, conveyed the party’s apprehensions during a media address. He expressed deep concerns regarding the potential repercussions of the recent policy change of the Modi regime on the apple industry in Jammu & Kashmir.
“The decision to eliminate import duties would bear severe economic consequences for” the Kashmiri fruit growers , Bukhari said.
Bukhari pointed out that the timing of the Indian government’s decision coincided with the peak apple harvesting season, with prices already experiencing a decline. He recalled the difficulties faced by the fruit industry last year when fruit-laden trucks were halted on highways, leading to a crisis for those associated with the industry.
Bukhari criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its prioritisation of foreign interests over the economic well-being of Jammu & Kashmir, asserting that this move exposed the BJP’s true intentions. The PDP spokesperson highlighted that the hasty decision by the Indian government would disproportionately affect local growers, which has already been grappling with substantial losses since 2019.—KMS
