Apple Duty Row: Congress Fights for Himachal’s Orchards
Congress leader Kuldeep Singh Rathore today urged the Centre to increase import duties on apples, highlighting a broken promise to Himachal Pradesh’s apple growers. He accused the government of succumbing to US pressure to keep tariffs low, a move he says directly harms domestic producers.
Rathore welcomed the recent Supreme Court ruling protecting orchard land and the surprising support from some BJP MPs on the issue. He sees this as a sign that the plight of apple farmers is finally gaining traction across party lines.
However, he sharply criticized the BJP’s claims of Minimum Import Price (MIP) benefits, arguing they are insufficient and misleading. He also called for proactive disaster mitigation planning in the region to safeguard the apple industry against climate change impacts.
The Congress’s renewed push for higher apple import duties comes at a crucial time for Himachal Pradesh’s economy. The fate of thousands of apple farmers and the state’s horticulture sector hangs in the balance, demanding immediate attention from the government.
