MIP introduced to support J&K apple farmers

The proactive step by the central government of instituting Minimum Import Price (MIP) for imported apples, provides relief to J&K apple growers who have been facing many challenges.

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In a move to protect the interests of apple farmers of Jammu & Kashmir, the central government has introduced Minimum Import Price (MIP) for apples imported from other countries. The MIP will prevent the tax-free import of apples and will ensure a level playing field for the J&K apple industry.

For many decades Jammu and Kashmir has been an eminent hub for apple cultivation. The apple crop makes a significant contribution to the state’s economy. In 2019, Kashmir produced 1.9 million metric tons of apples. It has been the leading apple-producing state of India. 

However, the local apple growers have been facing certain challenges for the past few years. The inundation of tax-free apples from foreign countries led to unfair competition which adversely affected the livelihoods of the apple farmers in the state. In the absence of import taxes on foreign apples, the apple growers of J&K incurred additional expenses. These additional expenses included transportation, packaging, and cold storage. Consequently, their profits declined and made it difficult for them to compete with the imported apples that were overwhelming the market at lower prices.

The proactive move by the central government of introducing the Minimum Import Price (MIP) for apples aims to discourage the influx of foreign apples and provide a fair market to the J&K apple farmers.

The decision of introducing MIP by the government has been welcomed by different fruit growers’ associations of the state, including the All Kashmir Fruit Growers Dealers, the Jammu and Kashmir Fruit and Vegetable Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA), and the JK Fruit Association.