Apple Growers Rally Against US Import Duty Concessions

Apple farmers from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are set to protest in Delhi against a trade deal permitting US apples to enter the Indian market duty-free. The growers fear this will harm domestic producers. They seek solidarity from Samyukta Kisan Morcha in their fight.

Apple farmers from key regions of India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, are gearing up for a protest in Delhi next month. The demonstration is against a newly proposed duty concession on US apples entering India, a move feared to pose serious threats to domestic growers.

India's decision to allow US apples to flood its market sans import duties has sparked distress among local farmers. Apple Farmers Federation of India (AFFI) leader and MLA Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, emphasized the detrimental impact on the local apple industry, considering it a significant blow to the nation's agricultural backbone.

Tarigami also mentioned the assurance from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a prominent farmers' coalition supportive of the protest. As tension over trade liberties mounts, concerns grow regarding India's autonomy in trade negotiations, echoed by sentiments from the AFFI's call to action.