Rafi Ahmad Mir, the senior leader and general secretary of the Apni Party, voiced his deep worry with the Union Government’s decision to eliminate extra charges on imported apples, walnuts, and almonds from the United States (US) on Tuesday.
He said that this action will have a negative effect on Kashmiri apple and walnut producers as well as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand growers. Rafi Ahmad Mir encouraged the Union Government to rethink its choice in his remarks, saying,
“The Central Government must take into account the fact that fruit growers in Kashmir have suffered significant losses, particularly since August 2019.”
The local farmers in J&K would suffer greatly if the higher levies on imported apples and walnuts from the US were removed. Added he,
“The government must understand that the fruit business is the foundation of J&K’s economy and that hundreds of thousands of people rely on it in some way for a living.
Taxing US apples and walnuts would only result in a flood of less expensive imports, which would have a negative effect on the lives of those working in Kashmir’s fruit sector and elsewhere in the nation. He urged the central government to overturn its choice in favour of local farmers and distributors.
