SRINAGAR (Kashmir English): Local apple growers have warned that India’s latest trade deal with the United States and tariff relaxations could devastate the livelihoods of millions in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, under the India-US trade framework, New Delhi has reduced or eliminated import duties on certain American agricultural products, including apples, walnuts, and almonds, raising concerns about cheaper imports flooding the Indian market.
Growers fear that tariff concessions will erode prices for locally grown Kashmir apples, which already struggle with high production costs and weak infrastructure.
The horticulture sector is highly vulnerable to foreign competition, as American producers benefit from subsidies and advanced technology, enabling their fruit to enter Indian markets at lower prices.
India’s failure to safeguard Kashmir industry
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has echoed these concerns, cautioning that New Delhi’s failure to safeguard Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture industry could spell economic disaster for the territory’s agri-based economy.
Grower unions have urged the Modi government to reconsider its trade strategy and impose safeguards, minimum import prices, or higher duties on imported apples, walnuts, and almonds to protect domestic producers.
