Overview

• Piyush Goyal pledged on July 6 to engage both the Union Finance and Agriculture ministries on raising the minimum import price above ₹50 per kg and increasing import duties to protect local growers.
• He agreed to pursue industry requests to cut the GST rate on Kashmiri handicrafts from 12% to 5%, asking traders to submit detailed proposals for the Finance Ministry’s review.
• India imports roughly 4.5–6 lakh tonnes of apples annually, predominantly from Turkey, to fill gaps left by domestic production shortfalls.
• Goyal stressed that any move to boost protection must preserve consumer access by keeping retail prices affordable at around ₹125–₹150 per kg.
• He reaffirmed India’s intent to defend domestic apple tariffs and growers’ interests in ongoing free-trade agreement talks, countering U.S. demands for duty concessions.