HP Seeks Higher Import Duty On Apples.

New Delhi, Aug 3 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh today sought hike in import duty on apple fruit to safeguard the interests of apple growers here as well as in Uttrakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and north eastern states.

Himachal Pradesh''s horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta today called on Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma and informed him about the dumping of apples in India by developed countries like China.

He said this had led to a crash of the apple market, due to which apple growers of the state have suffered a loss of around Rs 100 crore during this season.

The glut of imported apples has created an alarming situation which needs to be tackled on an emergency basis, Bragta told the Commerce minister. Sharma is said to have assured the minister of action in this regard.

Bragta mentioned the Centre''s decision to raise import duty on apples up to 50 per cent in 2000-2001 by the NDA regime, led by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

He requested the Centre to declare apple as a "Special Product" to protect the interests of apple growers, as around 1.6 lakh families are dependent on apple cultivation.

He said around 6 lakh metric tonnes of apple production per annum is recorded in the state, which accounts for more than 80 per cent of total fruit production in the country.

Apple production in the state varied from 6.5 MT to 8 MT per hectare due to small land holding and adverse weather conditions, while developed countries produce around 40 MT per hectare due to plain land and extensive use of farm mechanisation, he said.

Source : news.in.msn.com