Concerns rise among Himachal and Kashmir growers as duty-free Afghan apples drive down prices

The arrival of Afghan apples in India has raised concerns among apple growers in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir. These apples enter the country under the Asian Free Trade Area (AFTA), meaning they are exempt from import duties. As a result, Afghan apples are sold at much lower prices—around Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kilogram—compared to Rs 100 to Rs 150 per kilogram for apples from Himachal and Kashmir. This price disparity is causing increased competition in the markets, causing the prices of Indian apples to drop.

In recent years, the import of Afghan apples has surged significantly. According to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), imports rose from 1,508 tonnes in the financial year 2022-23 to a staggering 37,837 tonnes in 2023-24—a nearly 2400 percent increase. This surge has further deepened the concerns of Indian apple growers.

Harish Chauhan, President of the Himachal Pradesh Fruit and Vegetable Producers Association, told Rural Voice that Afghan apples typically arrive between September and November. The largest market for these duty-free apples in India is Delhi's Azadpur Mandi, where the first shipments have already arrived. This has already started to lower the prices of Indian apples, and as more Afghan apples arrive in September and October, prices are expected to drop even further, leading to losses for Indian orchardists. Chauhan also pointed out that apple production has already been affected by extreme heat and unseasonal rains, and if growers don’t get fair prices, their losses will worsen. He has called on the central government to remove Afghan apples from the duty-free category and impose a 100 percent import duty on foreign apples.

Fayaz Ahmed Malik, President of the Kashmir Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, added that the cheaper Afghan apples are a tough competitor for Indian apples. Middlemen prefer buying these cheaper apples, which drives down the prices of local produce. He mentioned that not all Indian apples are of A-grade quality; most are of medium quality. Middlemen exploit this situation by further reducing prices under the pretext of Afghan competition, resulting in lower profits for local growers.