‘Critical, farsighted move’: Kashmir Fruit Growers thank Govt for keeping apple out of UK Trade Deal

Srinagar, Jul 25: The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union has welcomed the exclusion of apples from the list of zero-duty items under the India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), calling it a “critical and farsighted” move to safeguard the horticulture sector.

In a statement issued by the Union—which represents fruit growers from across the Valley including Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla, Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag, and other regions—it was stated that the decision protects the interests of lakhs of apple growers in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

“The inclusion of apples in the FTA could have flooded the Indian market with cheaper imports, threatening the survival of local orchardists,” the Union said. It added that the horticulture sector, especially apple cultivation, is the single largest employment generator in Jammu and Kashmir after government service.

The Union noted that it had explicitly raised the issue with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during their recent visit to Srinagar. It had also submitted multiple representations to both the Union and UT governments warning that tariff-free imports could devastate the already distressed fruit economy.

The growers thanked the Government of India for acting wisely and sensitively, calling the decision a much-needed relief amid rising input costs and falling returns.

However, the Union cautioned that similar protection is urgently needed in the proposed India–US trade agreement, which could pose an even greater threat given the scale of American apple exports.