Apple farmers to protest in Delhi against duty concession on US apples: Tarigami

Story by PTI | Posted by Vidushi Gaur | Date 27-02-2026

Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami Member of the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar

Apple growers from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will stage a protest in Delhi next month against the proposed duty concession on apples imported from the United States, seeking to protect domestic growers from potential losses, MLA Kulgam and trade union leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said on Thursday.

India has granted a quota-based duty concession to the US under an interim trade pact, allowing American apples to enter the Indian market without import duties. Growers fear that this move will lead to an influx of US apples, severely impacting domestic farmers.

“We have formed the Apple Farmers Federation of India (AFFI), comprising apple growers from Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. We have decided to protest in Delhi in March against this trade deal,” Tarigami told reporters here.

He said the federation has also appealed to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to extend solidarity to apple farmers, who, he said, are facing a serious threat to their livelihood.

“The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which forced the government to repeal the three farm laws after protests that lasted more than a year, has assured the federation of its support. They have promised that their leadership will join the protest,” Tarigami added.

Criticising the Indo-US trade arrangement, the Kulgam MLA described it as “practically a surrender” before America.

“You would know that under this trade deal, the US has restricted India from buying oil from Russia. If our country has to take decisions based on the wishes of the US, then we will no longer be sovereign in our trade decisions,” he said.

Tarigami underlined the importance of the apple industry to the region, calling it the backbone of the Kashmir economy.

“There are some small industrial units in Jammu, but we do not have many here. Handicrafts, which were once a major source of livelihood, are also in decline. Our last hope is apple cultivation, but we cannot now compete with American apples,” he added.