Srinagar, 12-Jan; Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealer Union urged the government of India to ban illegal import of Iranian apple which is being imported under the garb of Afghan apples through Wagah Border.Addressing a press conference in Srinagar today, Bashir Ahmad Bashir, President KVFG said that in the last two months the prices of Kashmir apples have dropped by 30-40 per cent after the entry of Iranian apples in the markets.and about three crore boxes of apple lying in cold storages and godowns waiting to be sold out.“Due to the arrival of large quantities of cheap Iranian apples in the markets, the prices of Kashmiri apples have fallen down and demand for famed Kashmiri apples has dropped. The fruit growers from Kashmir have been badly hit by the import of Iranian apples and we are incurring about 25-30 per cent losses,” he said.According to the apple growers, the Afghanistan route is being used to bring in Iranian apple because there’s no import duty on trade between countries falling in the South Asian Free Trade Area, namely India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “Using this route, the Iranian apple is reaching Delhi at the cost of Rs 40 to Rs 50 kg.“Several fruit traders have dumped Iranian apples arriving via Afghanistan and Dubai in the country. This situation has put the whole fruit industry in J&K and Himachal Pradesh in a very precarious situation,” alleged BashirBashir said that despite repeated requests, the GoI has not paid any heed to towards the matter, leaving the apple growers in lurch.“We met Union Agriculture Minister but he didn’t take any action to stop the supply. Then we wrote to Prime Minister, LG office, but to no avail”, he said.“If Modi cries for Make in India, then why we are importing goods from outside when we have our own production,” he said. “PM Modi should upheld its own slogan”.“The government should either ban import of Iranian apples or increase the taxes or cess on Iranian apples to protect the interest of local fruit growers otherwise if this continues then the apple growers are in for a big loss,” he said adding, “’The Iranian apples should be tested as we fear that imported apples may bring new diseases with themselves and play havoc with the apple orchards here”’, he added.He demanded a ban on Iranian Apple and its illegal sale in country to safeguard the interest of fruit growers of Kashmir.(CNS)
