HimVani
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh horticulture minister Narender Bragta on Sunday asked the Union government to increase import duty on apple juice concentrate from China to save local industry. The minister stated that China was marketing apple juice concentrate at much lower prices in the country, which was hurting local production.
Bragta said China was selling apple concentrate in India at Rs 45-50 per kg whereas the concentrate produced by HPMC was sold at Rs 80 per kg. He said import duty should be increased to 75 percent from 37.5 percent.
Meanwhile, the Himahal government has submited a Rs-56 cr plan to the Centre to replace to replace the snail apple plants with the imported roots stock to improve the quality of apples. Bragta said the matter was discussed with Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in a recent meeting and he had agreed in principle to give assistance to the state government for replacing the apple plants in the state.
merely increse in import duties are not the solution. we must increse the productivity. Private nusrseries are not enthusiastic for promotion of clonal rootstocks. BecauseGovernment has fixed a price of Rs 20 for budded tree on rootstocks in Himachal ,whereas they are going to buy from vanwell nursery, USA at Rs 700 or more.So whenever they get assistence they go to US.
Govt should promote local nurseries and should make buy back arrangement for distribution at reasonable price to make these nurseries sustainable.
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