Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India]: Himachal Pradesh’s apple industry is a critical driver of the state’s economy, supporting thousands of families.
Farmers in Himachal Pradesh, renowned for their high-quality apples, are facing an unprecedented crisis as cheap and illegally imported apples from origins like Iran, Turkey and UAE are threatening their livelihoods.
Indian apple farmers are calling on Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan to raise the Minimum Import Price (MIP) for apples to Rs 90 per kilogram. They argue the current MIP of Rs 50 is too low and has led to a surge in the import of inexpensive apples from countries like Iran and Turkey. Additionally, apples from China are illegally entering the Indian market through the United Arab Emirates (UAE), even though apples are not grown in the UAE. India had officially banned the import of Chinese apples in 2017 but they can be seen getting sold in every city. Similarly, a substantial quantity of Iranian apples is entering India via Afghanistan under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), where import duties are not applicable.
The Progressive Growers Association in a letter dated September 5, 2024, addressed to Minister of Agriculture Chauhan, highlights the severe impact of these practices on domestic apple producers. Association president Lokinder Bisht expressed concern that the low MIP allowed apples from Iran to be sold at Rs 60 to Rs 70 per kg. Local apple producers struggle to compete with these low-priced imports, as their production, harvesting, packaging, and freight costs total Rs 55 to Rs 60 per kg.
He stressed that if immediate corrective actions are not taken, the entire apple industry in India will face severe damage due to rising input costs and cheap imports from these countries. Bisht urged the central government to address the issue urgently by increasing the MIP to prevent further damage to the domestic apple economy.
About Progressive Grower’s Association:
Progressive Grower’s Association of Shimla is a group of farmers growing apples and other temperate fruits in the Himalayan ecosystem.