AFFI Calls for Halt to Corporatization and Demands 100 percent Import Duty on Apples

The Apple Farmers Federation of India (AFFI) concluded its two-day National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday, demanding a 100% reduction in apple import duty and subsidies for apple growers to store apples in cold storage facilities. The meeting addressed several pressing issues, including apple import duty and cold storage subsidies.

Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, National Coordinator, presented a report calling for immediate and policy-based solutions to prevent the corporatisation of the apple industry. The report highlighted the need to reduce production costs and ensure remunerative prices for apple farmers.

Tarigami criticized the Jammu Kashmir Administration for failing to curb the sale of spurious pesticides and fertilizers and accused them of allowing profiteering through inflated input prices. He also condemned the Union Government for renting Controlled Atmosphere Stores (CAS) to corporate companies, including the Adani Group, and demanded that storage facilities be provided directly to farmers at subsidized rates. Tarigami pointed out that the government is offering a 50 percent subsidy to corporate companies to build CAS, which are then operated at commercial rates.

Rakesh Singha criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reducing the import duty on apples from 70% to 50% through an agreement with US President Joe Biden. He argued that this move facilitates apple imports, increases production costs, denies farmers fair procurement prices, and accelerates the corporatisation of the apple industry. He pointed out the disparity between the retail price of apples, ranging from Rs. 250 to Rs. 500, and the procurement price for farmers, which is between Rs. 30 and Rs. 60. Singha demanded a policy to ensure that farmers receive 50% of the retail price as their procurement price.

P Krishnaprasad, AIKS Finance Secretary and former MLA from Kerala, commended the apple farmers of Kashmir for establishing federations at the village level and participating massively in the public meeting. He urged the creation of vibrant farmer federations in all villages, stating that unity based on pressing issues is crucial for farmers to win their rights. Krishnaprasad credited the historical farmers' struggle at Delhi borders and consistent livelihood issue protests for the significant setback suffered by the BJP-NDA in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Zahor Ahmad Rather, President of the Jammu Kashmir Apple Farmers Federation, demanded comprehensive public sector insurance for apple farmers and the quarantine of hybrid plants to prevent diseases in domestic plantations.

The NCC meeting resolved to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister, the Union Minister of Agriculture, respective Chief Ministers, and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu Kashmir, outlining the immediate and policy demands of apple farmers. The meeting also decided to enroll 56,500 new members for the year 2024-25 and to hold village-level conventions in August and September.