US lawmakers and apple growers are celebrating the export of apples to India this year, which is 16 times more than last year after New Delhi decided to drop the 20 per cent retaliatory tariff put in 2019 on American products, including this fruit. This moment was celebrated at a Seattle port on Tuesday. Apple growers from Washington State have almost a million boxes of apples this year to India, which is 16 times more than last year. "This is a new day in trade relations between the United States and India," Senator Maria Cantwell told reporters in Seattle on Tuesday. She was joined by Prakash Gupta, the Consul General of the newly opened India Consulate in Seattle, along with apple growers from Central Washington and labour and port officials. "Apples are the pride of the Washington agricultural economy. They are known worldwide. Today is a celebration because, for five years now, we have not seen the volume of apples leaving these docks and travelling to India," said Cantwell,
Iceland-based company Geotropy Iceland would set up a controlled atmosphere (CA) store at Tapri in Kinnaur district on a pilot basis using innovative geothermal technology, benefitting local apple growers, officials said on Saturday. A pact was inked between the state government and the company in this regard, in the presence of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, a statement issued here said. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Managing Director of Horticultural Produce Marketing & Processing Corporation (HPMC), Sudesh Kumar Mokhta, and Chairman of the Geotropy Iceland, Thomas Ottohansson. The CA store would have a storage capacity of 1,000 tonnes and would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 8 crore. The state government would provide all possible assistance to the company for realising this project, as geothermal energy was a renewable source that minimises greenhouse gas emissions, the chief minister said.. The adoption of ...
Use of Universal Cartons will be mandatory for sale of apples in terms of weight in Himachal Pradesh from next year, Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi announced in the state assembly on Saturday. Taking part in a discussion initiated by Congress MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Negi said that the government has already decided that only universal cartons (universal standard of grading) of 24 kg weight would be allowed for sale of apples from the next year and telescopic cartons in which the weight could be increased would be banned. The government did not ban telescopic cartons this year as the growers had unused cartons and relaxation was given so that they did not suffer any loss, he said, adding that the decision to sell apples by weight was implemented strictly by the government and growers benefitted as one box fetched up to Rs 4,000. The middlemen (Aartis) were opposing it as it was causing loss to them but the government did not relent and a fine of up to Rs 22 lakh was impose
The import duty on American apples and walnuts was relaxed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted US President Joe Biden to be the chief guest at the 2024 Republic Day parade, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said on Thursday. "It is now known what compelled the central government to remove the tax on American apples and walnuts. The prime minister (Narendra Modi) wanted to invite the American President (Biden) as a special guest for the January 26 ceremony," he said. "They made sure that apples, walnuts and dry fruits will come from America while our own apples, walnuts and dry fruits will rot in the markets, said the NC leader while addressing a one-day party workers' convention at Handwara in north Kashmir's Kupwara district. Ahead of the G20 Summit, the Centre announced the removal of additional duties on about half a dozen US products, including apples, walnuts, almonds and lentils. These duties were imposed in 2019 in a retaliatory move after America hiked ...
However, the Centre reiterated that the move to slash import duty on apples from the US would have no "negative" impact on the growers
Apples and peas are being transported by a ropeway in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnnaur after a major landslide blocked the national highway connecting the district to state capital Shimla. After the successful trial of the ropeway (span) on Monday, apples, peas and other crops would be transported through the ropeway at Negulsari free of cost so that the produce reaches the markets and no loss is caused to farmers, Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi said on Tuesday. Negi, who is also the sitting Congress MLA from Kinnaur, said over 20 apple-laden trucks have been diverted from Kaza-Kunzum road. The ropeway has been set up at Krampa in Negulsari to Dhumti on Chaura-Rupi link road. Machinery has been deployed on both sides of the landslide-hit road and majority of the stretch has been cleared but the rocky 70-metre path is creating hindrance as the slide is continuing, he told PTI. The minister also directed officials to arrange for transportation of all essential items s
Banana traders said that middlemen are responsible for the price rise as farmers were not getting the right prices for their produce
Apple trees in the region typically flower around April, bearing fruit within 100-110 days
An import duty of 70% is imposed on Washington apples, which is 20 percentage points more than the 50% import duty applicable for the apples imported from Iran and Turkey
US lawmakers and industry leaders have welcomed the announcement of an agreement with India to end the retaliatory tariffs placed on American apples and pulse crops which New Delhi will now give access to American agricultural producers and manufacturers to the country's huge market. In 2018, the US imposed 25 per cent and 10 per cent import duties on certain steel and aluminium products respectively on grounds of national security. In retaliation, India June 2019 imposed customs duties on 28 American products, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents. "Today is a very good day for Washington's world-famous apples and a huge boost to Washington state's agriculture economy," Senator Maria Cantwell said. "India has announced it is lifting retaliatory tariffs that all but shut down the Indian market for Washington's more than 1,400 apple growers and now our growers will once again have access to this USD 120 million market," Cantwell,
Himachal Pradesh may witness a 30-35 per cent decline in the apple crop besides flavour deterioration this year owing to freak weather conditions, say horticulture experts
The protesting farmers submitted a 9-point memorandum with demands including the withdrawal of eviction orders issued to farmers in Jammu and Kashmir
Import till January of current fiscal is already down by 15%