The government today restricted imports of apple by allowing its inbound shipment only through Nhava Sheva port.
Apples are the most heavily consumed imported fruit in India.
"Import of the item 'Apples'...Is allowed only through Nhava Sheva port," Director General of Foreign Trade said in a notification.
According to an industry source the move is a kind of non-tariff barrier.
India is the world's third-largest producer of apples. Depreciation in the rupee, which is hovering at around 66 against the dollar, makes imports costlier.
Apple production in the country is limited to the hilly states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
India imports the fruit from the US, China, Chile, New Zealand, Italy, Iran and Afghanistan, among others.
