Y.S. RANA , CHANDIGARH—Mr J.P Nadda, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister met Union Minister of State for Commerce, Ms Nirmala Sitaraman in New Delhi on Thursday and urged to increase tariff on import of apple within the framework of World Trade Organization (WTO) Rules to save the apple growers of Himachal Pradesh who were facing onslaught of Chinese apples due to low import duties requested her to include
apple in the category of ‘special products.’
He further demanded increase tariff on imported apple within the framework of World Trade Organization (WTO) Rules to save the apple growers of Himachal
Pradesh. He further told the minister that Himachal apple growers have
been facing onslaught of Chinese apples because of low import duties
and adversely affected the economy of the State.
He further demanded to include apple in the
category of ‘Special Products.’ He also put before the minister that
agriculturists and fruit growers were adversely affected because of
dumping of Chinese garlic through Nepal and Bangladesh in India at
zero duty which also led to illegal smuggling of Chinese garlic.
Himachal is one of the major producers of best quality of garlic in
the country and smuggling of Chinese garlic is adversely affected the
interest of State garlic growers, he tells the minister.
He further told the minister apple has been
contributing around six per cent of the State GDP worth around Rs 2500
crore. He told that almost half of rural population of six districts
of the State dependent on apple and garlic crops for their livelihood
and sustainability.
Mr Nadda also urged the minister to take
effective steps to check illegal garlic smuggling from the
neighbouring countries which were turning into smuggling centres
though there was a complete ban on importing Chinese garlic and its
exporting to neighbouring countries.
Ms Nirmala Sitaraman has assured Mr Nadda
that her ministry would take all possible steps to safeguard and
protect the interests of Himachal fruits growers and would keep him
updated on the steps taken by her ministry in this regard.
