BISHESHWAR MISHRA / New Delhi
Apple growers in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are facing a sharp fall in market prices amid concerns over rising imports, the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) said, calling for immediate government intervention ahead of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) coming into force on October 20.
According to AIKS, apple prices in Kashmir mandis have fallen to around Rs 700–1,000 for a 15–16 kg carton, from Rs 1,100–1,700 a few weeks ago. This translates to roughly Rs 44–67 per kg for growers. Kashmir accounts for over 70 per cent of India’s apple production, with annual output estimated at about 21 lakh tonnes, the organisation said.
The farmers’ body said the region has cold-atmosphere (CA) storage capacity of only around 2.92 lakh tonnes against an estimated requirement of about 6 lakh tonnes, forcing many small growers to sell their produce immediately after harvesting.
AIKS also pointed to the absence of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), under which NAFED had procured Kashmir apples at Rs 60, Rs 44 and Rs 24 per kg for A, B and C grades respectively from 2019. In Himachal Pradesh, the organisation said the estimated crop is around 2 crore boxes this season, compared with about 3.5 crore boxes last year, while culled apples are fetching a support price of only Rs 12 per kg and previous MIS dues remain pending.
Import concerns
AIKS has raised concerns over the impact of the India-New Zealand FTA, which is scheduled to take effect on October 20. Under the agreement, the duty on New Zealand apples will be reduced from 50 per cent to 25 per cent for an initial quota of 32,500 tonnes, rising to 45,000 tonnes annually. The imports are scheduled between April and August, coinciding with the period when Indian growers sell stored apples.
The organisation also flagged provisions concerning apples in India’s trade arrangements with the European Union and the United States. It said the India-EU FTA provides for a 20 per cent duty on EU apples within a quota that will rise from 50,000 tonnes to 1 lakh tonnes, while the February 2026 framework with the US includes a quota for US apples at a 25 per cent duty.
AIKS further cited the increase in US apple imports after India eased duties in 2023, saying imports rose from about 50,000 boxes in 2022-23 to around 22 lakh boxes by mid-2024.
Calls for policy support
AIKS president Rajan Kshirsagar said the government should revive the MIS before the New Zealand agreement takes effect. The organisation has demanded procurement support of at least Rs 60, Rs 44 and Rs 24 per kg for A, B and C grades, respectively, with rates revised for cost increases since 2019.
Its other demands include clearing pending MIS dues with interest, introducing a statutory MSP based on C2 plus 50 per cent, removing apples from the India-NZ, India-EU and India-US trade arrangements, raising import duty to 100 per cent, expanding public and cooperative CA storage and introducing a fully government-funded crop insurance scheme.
The organisation also sought immediate relief for hailstorm damage and assured movement of fruit trucks, including compensation for losses caused by highway disruptions.
AIKS has called October 19 as an All India Apple Growers’ Protest Day, with demonstrations planned at district and block headquarters on the eve of the New Zealand FTA’s implementation. It said that if its demands are not addressed, it would launch a sustained agitation across the apple-growing belt and take the issue to the national capital.