Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu writes to PM Narendra Modi: Raise duty on Turkey apples to 100%
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief minister
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging an increase in the import duty of apples from 50% to at least 100%. This measure, he said, will discourage the import of apples from Turkey and safeguard the interests of the state's growers.
Sukhu has also urged the PM to impose quantitative restrictions on imported apples. The CM said Himachal Pradesh was known as the "apple bowl" of the country and was famous for producing delicious varieties of the fruit. Apple is the prime cash crop of the hill state, generating an income of about Rs 4,500 crore annually. Sukhu said about 10 lakh mandays are generated due to the apple crop, providing direct and indirect employment to more than 2.5 lakh families.
The CM said at present, apples were being imported from nearly 31 countries, and about 5.19 lakh metric tonnes of fresh apples were imported in 2024. This marks a 500-time increase when compared to 1,100 metric tonnes imported during 1998. He said the import share from Turkey increased during 2020, and the country sent a record 1.29 lakh metric tonnes of the fruit during 2023. Sukhu added a substantial import of 1.17 lakh metric tonnes was done from Turkey during 2024, which is 23% of the total apple import.
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Sukhu said apples from Turkey had been flooding the Indian market in recent years, posing a great threat to the
apple growers
of the country. The influx of Turkish apples has not only undermined the competitiveness of local apple producers, but also jeopardised the livelihoods of small and marginal apple growers in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
The CM said that he would also personally take up the issue of enhancing the
import duty on apples
procured from Turkey with the PM during his upcoming Delhi visit. MSID:: 121315136 413 |
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging an increase in the import duty of apples from 50% to at least 100%.
This measure, he said, will discourage the import of apples from Turkey and safeguard the interests of the state's growers.
Sukhu has also urged the PM to impose quantitative restrictions on imported apples. The CM said Himachal Pradesh was known as the "apple bowl" of the country and was famous for producing delicious varieties of the fruit. Apple is the prime cash crop of the hill state, generating an income of about Rs 4,500 crore annually.
Sukhu said about 10 lakh mandays are generated due to the apple crop, providing direct and indirect employment to more than 2.5 lakh families.
The CM said at present, apples were being imported from nearly 31 countries, and about 5.19 lakh metric tonnes of fresh apples were imported in 2024. This marks a 500-time increase when compared to 1,100 metric tonnes imported during 1998. He said the import share from Turkey increased during 2020, and the country sent a record 1.29 lakh metric tonnes of the fruit during 2023.
Sukhu added a substantial import of 1.17 lakh metric tonnes was done from Turkey during 2024, which is 23% of the total apple import.
Sukhu said apples from Turkey had been flooding the Indian market in recent years, posing a great threat to the apple growers of the country. The influx of Turkish apples has not only undermined the competitiveness of local apple producers, but also jeopardised the livelihoods of small and marginal apple growers in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
The CM said that he would also personally take up the issue of enhancing the import duty on apples procured from Turkey with the PM during his upcoming Delhi visit. MSID:: 121315136 413 |
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