CHENNAI: If the retail prices of imported apples weren’t high enough – at 150/kg or more – expect to pay up to Rs 50/kg extra courtesy of an order of the Union commerce ministry restricting import of the fruit only through Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai.
The ministry issued the order issued on September 14 ostensibly in an attempt by the Centre to promote Indian apples that are grown mostly in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and even – although in far smaller quantities – Tamil Nadu. Apple producers may welcome the restriction given that apples imported from the US, New Zealand and Australia have cornered a large share of urban markets in the country but it has certainly peeved traders in the country.
Traders import nearly 88,000 tonnes of apples through the Chennai, Krishnapatnam and Kolkata ports each year. Chennai alone imports 66,000 tonnes of apples annually. The order issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, an office of the commerce ministry, is not only bound to increase retail prices of the fruit but also hit the income of Chennai port, which accounts for a vast majority of the country’s apple imports, experts said. Chennai Port officials, unaware of the government’s plan to push Indian apple produce, expressed surprised at the ban.
“As soon as apple consignments arrive at the port, food safety officials inspect and send samples for testing,” a senior port official said. “State agriculture department officials also inspect and send samples to laboratories near Chennai airport. We take all safety steps required. It isn’t as if officials at Nhava Sheva port take any additional steps.”
“We import apples mainly in July and December each year and most of the imports are from US, China, New Zealand and Chile,” said Chennai-based apple importer K Unnikrishnan.
If traders are to import apple consignments only via Nhava Sheva, they will have to transport the fruit in refrigerated containers trucks to other parts of the country, which will push up the retail prices. “Apples imported from the US and New Zealand retail for Rs 150/ kg or more Chinese apples for Rs 100/kg,” he said. “Expect the prices to rise by up to 50/ kg after December if the order is not withdrawn.”
“The order will affect our logistics,” said Unnikrishnan, who has been involved in the trade for the past 15 years. “The restriction is bizarre because the Nhava Sheva port is already under pressure as it is operating at close to capacity. The decision of the DGFT will only increase the congestion at Nhava Sheva port.”
