India bans apple imports under Rs 50/kg

India has implemented new import regulations for apples. Import of apples with a CIF value of Rs 50 per kilogram or less is now prohibited.

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India has recently revised its import policy for apples, specifically prohibiting their importation if the Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) import price is equal to or less than Rs 50 per kilogram. Previously, the import policy for apples was “free,” but now it has been changed to a “prohibited” status by the government.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a notification stating that the recent amendment made to the apple import policy will not have any impact on Bhutan. “Import of apple is Prohibited’ wherever the CIF import price is less than or equal to Rs 50/- per kilogram.

India’s apple imports from top countries including Turkey, Italy, Iran, and Chile totalled US$ 260.37 million between February and April of FY23, while the country imported fresh apples worth US$ 385.1 million in the entire 2021-22 fiscal year.

The decision to ban apple imports comes from Kashmiri apple farmers to halt the import of Iranian apples. They claim that this has been causing a slump in the prices of domestic apples.

In 2018, the Indian government eliminated port restrictions on apple imports by enabling their arrival via various ports and airports across the country, including those in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Cochin, and Delhi land port and airport. Additionally, the government authorized imports through India’s land borders.