Trade Pact Will Severely Hit Jammu Kashmir Apple Growers, Warns MY Tarigami | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Senior CPI(M) leader and legislator Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Friday expressed serious concern over the impact of the recent Indo-US trade agreement on Jammu and Kashmir’s apple economy, warning that local growers would be unable to compete with heavily subsidised American imports.

Tarigami said the agreement would allow duty-free entry of American apples, walnuts, and other agricultural products into the Indian market, while Indian commodities continue to face tariffs and non-tariff barriers in the US.

“This is practically a surrender before America,” Tarigami asserted, adding that the deal would particularly hurt Kashmir’s fruit industry, which forms the backbone of the region’s rural economy.

He pointed out that American apple producers receive substantial government subsidies, whereas growers in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand struggle with high input costs, including expensive pesticides and fertilizers, besides facing frequent logistical challenges like road closures.

Tarigami said that with very few employment opportunities available in Jammu and Kashmir, the agricultural sector, especially horticulture, remains critical for livelihoods. “Government jobs are scarce, the private sector is weak, and traditional industries like carpets and shawls are non-existent now. Tourism remains vulnerable,” he said.

The CPI(M) leader revealed that the All India Apple Farmers Federation, representing growers from Kashmir, Himachal, and Uttarakhand, has been activated to press for government intervention. He demanded one-time relief on Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans for farmers affected by recent floods and other natural calamities.

Tarigami also criticised the agreement for aligning India’s trade policies with American dictates, including restrictions on purchasing oil from Russia, questioning the erosion of the country’s independent trade decision-making. (KNS)