bragtaNew Delhi: Himachal Pradesh government today requested the centre to increase import duty on the apple juice concentrate to save the domestic apple industries. The plea was made by Himachal Pradesh horticulture minister Narender Bragta in a meeting with Anand Sharma union commerce and industry minister in a meeting in Udyog Bhawan New Delhi.

Horticulture minister Narender Bragta told that the china is dumping its apple juice concentrate on cheaper rates in Indian markets and it has adversely affected the sale of Indian juice products in recent times. He pleaded for imposing anti dumping duties on the Chinese  juice concentrate as remedial measure and also pleaded for increasing the import duty from present 37.5% to at least 75 % so as the  economic interests of the hill state apple growers are fully protected .

Narender Bragta horticulture minister told that while the actual cost of apple juice concentrate per k g comes out of rupees 75/- per k g while on the other hand the China is dumping its apple juice concentrate in Indian market at the rate of about 40/- rupees per k g and has flooded the Indian markets with its apple juice concentrate. He said the move has resulted in shifting big corporate houses to imported products and the demand of the domestic product has declined sharply in the Indian markets.

Narender Bragta pleaded for setting up cool chains and other fruit based industries in Himachal Pradesh so as to increase the scope and production of horticulture activities in the state and ensure the remunerative prices to the fruit growers. He told that Himachal  grows international standards fruits and vegetables which can be marketed in the five star hotels in the metropolitan cities of the country and abroad. He requested the union govt to set up latest technology industries for utilising the raw material available in the state.

union commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma assured the state govt that centre will take protective steps to save the apple industry of the country and will support state govt in its efforts to strengthen the infrastructure and other facilities in fruit growing area of Himachal Pradesh

Jul 4th, 2009 at 12:50 pm | By NVO Bureau |

Source: nvonews.com