Blow to Orchardists: Kuldeep Rathore Slams Apple Duty Cut, Urges Central Govt to Keep Promises
All India Congress Committee spokesperson and Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore has voiced sharp criticism of the Centre’s decision to slash import duty on New Zealand apples from 50% to 25% under the new Free Trade Agreement. Calling the move “anti-national” and a direct attack on India’s apple producers, Rathore said it undermines the very idea of Swadeshi that the Prime Minister often champions.
He reminded that the ₹5,000-crore apple economy of Himachal Pradesh supports thousands of families, many of whom are already struggling with rising production costs and drought. Lowering duties, he warned, will flood markets with cheaper foreign apples, leaving local growers unable to secure fair prices for their produce.
Rathore accused the government of breaking promises made to Himachal’s orchardists, recalling assurances that import duties would be raised to protect farmers. Instead, he said, the decision risks strangling domestic growers at a time when they need support the most.
Appealing to the Union Commerce Minister, Rathore urged an immediate review of the FTA provisions and demanded that import duty on foreign apples be raised to 100%, as earlier promised. He stressed that protecting India’s orchardists is not just an economic issue but a matter of national interest.
