Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, 12 March-
In light of the looming United States reciprocal tariffs, farmers across Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand face a severe threat from cheap American apple imports flooding Indian markets. In this connection, The KVFGU has sounded the alarm, warning that this influx of low-cost apples will shrink market space, crash prices, and endanger the livelihoods of over 7 lakh families dependent on apple farming.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has urged the Government of India to act immediately to protect Indian farmer's interests. He outlined key demands such as Protective Counter-Tariffs under which matching duties should be imposed on US apples to ensure a level playing field for Indian growers. In addition, he added that Immediate Economic Relief is needed under which financial support should be provided to farmers to prevent income loss and ensure continued production.
He further informed that Pro-Farmer Trade Negotiations are needed to ensure Indian farmers' livelihoods remain non-negotiable in all trade talks with the US.