New Delhi : The Congress party lashes out at the centre’s decision to steeply cut import duty on Washington apples. India produces some of the best apples in the world, about 60 per cent of production happens in Jammu and Kashmir, 25 to 30 per cent in Himachal Pradesh and the rest in Uttarakhand and as a measure of protecting our own farmers, we need higher import duties on apples coming from Washington, but, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly in the G20 summit has committed to decrease the price, or decreasing the import duty to merely 15 per cent as far as Washington apples are concerned.

Addressing media persons, AICC spokesperson Supriya Srinate said, In United States, apples are produced by large corporations and the government heavily subsidizes production of apples by giving steep subsidies on fertilizer, on pesticides, on seeds, on various other things. So, why has the Modi government decided to benefit American farmers? Why has he gifted a huge bonanza to American farmers at the cost of our own farmers, at a time when Himachal Pradesh is dealing with the worst ever natural disaster that has almost cost a damage of Rs. 10,000 crores. Why is the government not being forthright in helping farmers? Why is the government attacking the 5-lakh people, who directly produce apple in Himachal Pradesh?

Apple production makes up for nearly 14 percent of Himachal Pradesh’s GDP. Apple production is down to one fourth of what it should be. Himachal Pradesh every year packs about 3.6 crore boxes of apples. It is expected to pack under 2 crore this year. So, at a time when Himachal Pradesh is dealing with such a huge disaster, when apple production, is impacted, by reducing import duty, govt. has done harm to our farmers, it’s a wrong decision of the Modi government , Supriya added. Congress leader also blamed Modi govt for giving Himachal Pradesh apple orchards in the hands of Adani.  Similarly in Kashmir things have just begun to pick up, the economy is just beginning to slowly come back to normal and just then you impact farmers, by decreasing import duty on apples, by decreasing import duty on almonds, and by decreasing import duty on walnuts. In what words can prioritizing another country’s farmers be justified? she said. Before, he was leaving for the United States in June 2023, he said- he will bring down import duty on Washington apples some 70 percent to lower and now we are told, according to all the reports that are coming that it is going to be further lowered to 15 percent. How does it justify to put your own farmers in peril at the cost of bonanza being offered to US farmers? Govt. should rethink over this decision, especially in states that are dealing with natural disasters, Supriya added.