Shopian: The chairman Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on Wednesday assured a delegation of apple growers and traders from Kashmir that they would not allow sale of Iranian apples in Delhi Mandi from now onwards.
The delegation comprising President Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir, Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, J&K Cold Storage Association met APMC chairperson Adil Khan in Delhi and customs officials at Amritsar in Punjab. They said import of Iranian apples without imposition of taxes and duties is hurting market rates of Kashmir apples.
Members who met Khan told Kashmir Reader that the purpose of their meeting was to ensure illegal sale of Iranian apples in markets is stopped. The fruit is being illegally imported from Iran through Pakistan in the name of Afghanistan and is being sold in Asia’s biggest Mandi at Azadpur in Delhi.
According to them, the import and sale of Iranian apple in Delhi market that too without taxes and duties was hugely affecting market prices of Kashmiri apple.
According to growers and traders, the Iranian apple like last year is being brought to India since the last two months thus bringing down rates per box by Rs 300 to 500.
Kashmiri growers and traders have stored around 1.5 lac metric tonnes of apple in cold stores after the sector produced around 16 lac metric tonnes of apple.
The apple, according to them, is being stored to maintain the demand and supply chain and get satisfactory prices of their fruit. They are being charged around Rs 300 for storing a box of apple in the stores.
The Kashmir fruit related unions earlier wrote to union finance minister, Nirmala Sitaraman and Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal to stop the illegal sale of Iranian fruit however no action was taken by them in this regard.

Raashid Hassan