The decision of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to allow the import of apples through seaports and airports in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Cochin, is said to have damaged Kashmir's fruit industry, which expects to incur immediate financial losses of Rs 400 crore.
The import has also been allowed through the land port and airport in Delhi and other land borders of India. In September last year, apple imports were restricted to only entering the country through the Nhava Sheva port in Maharashtra.
Kashmir valley is one of the largest producers of apples in the country with production touching 1,943,000 metric tonnes in 2015-16. The apple production in 2014-15 was 1,170,000 metric tonnes only, given the devastating floods of September 2014.
"When the ports are opened for the import of apples, the market will be flooded with foreign varieties which are cheaper and more appealing. Transportation cost will drop considerably. Therefore, we will suffer huge losses. Since 20 to 30 per cent of apples are sold through stores, we will suffer Rs 400 crore loss immediately," Bashir Ahmad Basheer, president New Kashmir Fruit Association, told dna.
Horticulture is the mainstay of Kashmir's economy with 2,300,000 people associated with this sector. More than 237,000 hectares of land is under fruit cultivation in the valley, of which 65 percent comprises of apple orchards.
As local apples cannot compete with foreign varieties, Basheer believes the government should step in and levy duties on the apple imports to save local industry.
He is also concerned that Chinese apples will flood the markets making it very difficult for the local industry to survive.
Source: dnaindia.com
