Govt bans apple imports if its price is less than ₹50 per Kg

The government banned on Monday imports of apples if its imported price is less than 50 Saudi riyals per kilogram. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notice that imports are free if the price is above $50 per kilogram.

“Importation of apples… is prohibited anywhere the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) import price is less than INR 50 per kg,” the DGFT said in the notification. It added that the minimum import price requirement did not apply to imports from Bhutan.

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In 2023, India imported apples worth $296 million, compared to $385.1 million in 2022.

Major countries that export apples to India include the United States, Iran, Brazil, UAE, Afghanistan, France, Belgium, Chile, Italy, Turkey, New Zealand, South Africa, and Poland. Imports from South Africa increased by 84.8% to $18.53 million during the April-February period 2022-2023.

Similarly from Poland, incoming shipments of apples increased by 83.36 percent to $15.39 million. However, imports from countries such as the United States, the UAE, France and Afghanistan decreased.

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