The government of India has decided to impose additional customs duties on 29 US products, which includes almond, walnut, and apples. This move will affect the American exporters of these 29 items since higher duties will have to be paid on these products. India, however, stands to benefit about $217 million in additional revenue from such imports.
Hike on the import duty from US
The hike in the duty on apples has increased by 20% and now stands at 70%.The hike in import duty is nothing new- I recall that it was due to Narinder Bragta ji efforts and Atal ji efficient leadership that apple import duty was increased from 30% to 50 % in 2002. I feel that the present hike is indeed great news for the domestic varieties of apple. Given the higher import duties on apples from the US, consumers will be drawn towards the indigenous crop. Over the years, the US has remained as a leading exporter of apples to India. Almost, 30-40% of the total apple imports are from the US. Given the recent hikes, the local crop which will be harvested between August to March is bound to overshadow the more expensive US variety.
The current scenario of the local produce
India is the world’s third largest producer of apples and imports from the US, China, Chile, Fiji, Iran and New Zealand. For the Indian manufacturers, the erratic weather patterns of last year have been a major dampener, as Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, the leading manufacturers of apples in India, suffered on account of snow and hailstorm. Since the drought had hit the plantation, the quality and quantity of the produce were affected badly. As per the available data, the climate resulted in the lowest levels of output in Himachal Pradesh. Plantations in Kashmir were also affected due to bad weather conditions. The output stood at 3.68 lakh tonnes against the normal output of 10 lakh tonnes in Himachal Pradesh
It is my hope that with an improvement in the weather conditions and no occurrence of any unforeseen events in terms of the weather helps the local produce of apples to catch the attention of the consumers. Since the exotic variety will be fairly expensive due to the import duties, it will cater to only a certain clientele. I believe that the masses will be inclined to consume the local varieties.
How this hike in the import duty can be helpful?
I also believe that the move of the government to impose the trade sanctions in the form of increased import duty will help in the development of the local farmers and the varieties grown by them. Keeping the economics aside, local produce is always the preferred choice over any exotic variety. It is important to remember that while imported apples is a catchy tagline, imported apples in India markets from various parts of the world are usually not harvested during the peak season. In fact, these apples are often chemically treated to increase their shelf-lives Then these apples are loaded on planes, trucks, and buses to reach our destination. By the time these apples make it to the shelves of the market, the qualitative aspects of the apple have already deteriorated. Such apples don’t even taste as good as the local variety. Often a bias towards all things imported draws people towards loading up their shopping carts with such exotic varieties without realizing that these are not completely valued for money.
The other advantage that is offered by consuming local produce is that locally grown apples receive more time to grow and ripen. This helps in the local variety to always have the right amount of nutrient and antioxidants Certain data also suggests that the locally grown apples are smooth, sweet and juicy to taste. Each serving of a desi apple weighs nearly 182gm and serves approximately 50kcals, 13gm of carbohydrates and 2.4gm of fiber whereas imported apples such as gala or fuji apples are crisp, sweet, less flavorful weighing 150gm serves approximately 70 to 80kcals, 25 to 30gm of carbohydrates and are lesser on fiber content.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the decision to hike the import duties will provide a much-needed boost to the local producers. Moreover, if you are conscious to protect the environment, I would encourage you to choose the local produce as transportation and storage are likely to reduce the deadly emission of greenhouse gases. If you are concerned about maintaining a clean diet, choosing local produce of the apple will be extremely helpful. And it almost goes without saying that any fresh food is bound to taste much better than their imported counterparts.
Local produce of apple will also bring you closer to nature and develop a relationship with the farmers directly. This variety is also safe from pesticides which can have a harmful effect. It is also important to remember that consuming local apples will ensure that you consume a healthy diet and at a philanthropic level, your little gesture to give it back to society. So grab the local produce because as they say: think global but eat local.
