No proposal to raise import duty on apples: Agriculture minister

There was no proposal to raise the import duty on apples, union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh told parliament Tuesday.

Replying to a question from Himachal Pradesh MP Virender Kashyap in the Lok Sabha, he said "the import duty on apples is 35 percent and there is no proposal of the central government to raise it further at present".

Kashyap had requested the central government to enhance import duty on apples to protect the domestic fruit industry.

"The apples from other countries are being imported in a big way, which is hampering the interest of apple growers in India," he said, noting that the last National Democratic Alliance regime headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had raised the import duty to 50 percent, which should be further raised keeping in view the interest of the local apple growers.

The minister meanwhile said apple production in Himachal Pradesh rose from 275 tonne in 2011-12 to 738.72 tonne in 2013-14.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the apple production in 2011-12 was 1,775 tonne but it declined to 1,647.69 tonne in 2013-14.