Apple growers in India are facing challenges due to erratic weather and rising input costs. They are seeking relief in the upcoming Budget, particularly through adjustments to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on farm inputs like pesticides, fertilizers, and machinery. Lokinder Bisht, president of the Progressive Growers Association, stated, "In an ideal scenario, the GST should be waived on farm inputs as profit margins are shrinking. But if that's not possible, the government should at least apply the lowest GST slab to horticultural and agricultural inputs. It's a straightforward way in which the government can provide some assistance to us."
Harish Chauhan, president of the Fruit, Vegetable, and Flowers Growers Association, echoed this sentiment. He noted, "Unlike industrial product manufacturers, growers and farmers can't pass on the GST to end consumers and have to bear the entire burden. At a time when the apple economy is struggling, waiving the GST or reducing it to the minimum would provide significant relief to growers."
Growers are also urging the Centre to increase the import duty on apples from 50% to 100%. They argue that the current import duty allows cheaper apples from countries like Iran and Turkey to undercut local produce. Bisht emphasized, "The government should place apples in a special category and raise the import duty to 100%. If that's not possible, the government should increase the Minimum Import Price of apples from approximately $0.60 to $1.20 per kilogram."
Additionally, there is a call for adequate budget allocation for the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), which involves state procurement of culled fruits at fixed prices.
Source: The Tribune