Reduction in import duty of US apple to hit Himachal Growers badly: Jagat Singh Negi

Revenue, Horticulture, and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi refuted the decision of the Modi Government to reduce the import duty on American apples to 15 percent. He said that 

reducing the import duty on American apples would cause a huge loss to the growers of Himachal Pradesh.  

In a press statement issued at Kinnuar today Mr Negi said that during the G-20 Summit, the Central Government had decided to decrease the import duty of American apples to 15 percent, which should be reconsidered by the Central Government.  

He said that the Central Government had earlier reduced the apple import duty from 75 percent to 50 percent and now it is being reduced to 15 percent, which is harmful for the economy of the gardeners of Himachal Pradesh and other areas.

 The Horticulture Minister said that due to this decision of the Central Government, the country’s markets would glut with foreign apples making a lossful proposition to Apple Growers of Himachal, JK, and Uttrakhand.

“Central Government should reconsider its decision for the sake of the growers of Himachal and other apple-producing states,” he demanded. 

 The Revenue Minister said that the work of restoration of National Highway-05 which was disrupted in Nigulsari is going on war footing and the BROs jawan are engaged in the restoration round the clock.

 He said that to ensure that the crops of the growers of the district do not get damaged, a ropeway was installed in Nigulsari, through which the work of transporting the apple and pea crops of the farmers of the district to the markets is in progress.  

He said that due to the blockage of this road, the district has been cut off from other parts of the country and the supply of essential food items and petrol and diesel is being done through Kaza-Kinnaur road.