Chinese apples takes sheen of Himachal’s

More than a month after senior Congress leader Vidya Stokes raised her concerns about apples from the state receiving a severe beating in Indian markets, following bulk imports from foreign countries, especially China, Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta admitted that China has dumped its apples at some ports, including Kolkata and Mumbai. Its arrival at the time when the home produce has just hit the market has created an intense competition, which the domestic produce may not be able to withstand, he added.

Bragta went on to blame the Centre for not taking steps to protect the interests of Himachal Pradesh farmers, despite the fact that he had raised the issue with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma in September 2009. Later, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had also written to Sharma and informed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar about the matter.

“During NDA regime, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had raised import duty up to 50 per cent to give relief to the apple growers of the country. There is a need for raising the import duty under WTO up to 75 per cent,” said Bragta.

He plans to meet Anand Sharma as well as Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Virbhadra Singh — both hailing from Himachal Pradesh — to seek their support in making the Centre agree to the state’s demand for a higher import duty on apples shipped to the Indian markets.

The minister wondered how state Congress leaders are targeting the state government, instead of putting pressures on the UPA government to save the apple growers.