Wagah apple imports: Now undervaluing, duty evasion worry Kashmir apple growers

Srinagar, Feb 6: Kashmir apple growers, traders and exporters have expressed their concerns about the new trend of apples imported through the Wagah border corridor being undervalued for duty evasion.

A group of Kashmir apple traders, currently in Amritsar and Delhi, meeting officials and highlighting the economic pitfalls of this situation told Ziraat Times that while the union government’s move of introduction of a cess of 35% on apples was significant in addressing the unfair import practices of Iran apples coming through the Afghanistan corridor by avoiding duties, exporters have now started to undervalue their apples and evade the cess.

“We have been monitoring the price situation for the last few days. We were astonished to see that the traders, importing apples through the Wagah corridor had started to undervalue the apples so that duty could be avoided, thereby hampering domestic markets for Kashmiri and Himachal apples”, a delegation member said.

Reportedly, apples coming through the Afghan-Wagah corridor are being valued anywhere between Rs 10-30, resulting a far lesses duty costs and emerging as much cheaper apples in the Indian market than Kashmir and Himachal apples.

Sources told Ziraat Times that Kashmir apple traders on Friday met Managing Director of NAFED, Sanjeev Chadha, who has reportedly intervened immediately and took the matter up with higher authorities.

“The good thing is that directions were passed on to customs officials to assess the apple imports at 1$ per kg rate which could mean they will attract proper duty and the interests of local farmers are safeguarded”, a member of the Kashmir apple exporter delegation told Ziraat Times.