Shimla— Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the central government to double the import duty on apples from Turkey—from the current 50 percent—to protect the livelihoods of Indian apple growers.
In his letter, the Chief Minister also called for the imposition of quantitative restrictions on imported apples to further safeguard domestic producers, according to a government statement released Wednesday.
Himachal Pradesh, often referred to as the “apple bowl” of India, is known for producing high-quality apple varieties. Apples are the state’s primary cash crop, generating an estimated annual income of ₹4,500 crore. The industry creates approximately 10 lakh mandays of work each year and provides direct and indirect employment to more than 2.5 lakh families.
CM Sukhu expressed concern over the growing volume of apple imports, noting that India imported apples from nearly 31 countries in 2024. Total imports reached 5.19 lakh metric tons—a staggering increase compared to just 1,100 metric tons in 1998.
Turkey has emerged as a dominant exporter, accounting for 1.17 lakh metric tons of apples in 2024 alone—23 percent of India’s total apple imports. In 2023, Turkish apple imports had already peaked at 1.29 lakh metric tons.
“The surge in apple imports from Turkey has flooded Indian markets and severely impacted the competitiveness of local growers,” the Chief Minister said. “This trend poses a serious threat to the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers, not only in Himachal Pradesh but also in neighboring regions like Uttarakhand and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Sukhu emphasized that he will personally follow up with Prime Minister Modi to press for an increase in import duties on apples from Turkey. (Source: IANS)
