Srinagar, Dec 27: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday strongly opposed any free trade agreement with the European Union and the United States, warning that such deals would devastate Kashmir’s apple industry, much like the India-New Zealand FTA has already done. Raising alarm over potential dilution of apple import duties, she said flooding domestic markets with imported apples threatens to destroy Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector, which forms the economic backbone of the region. She urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to immediately intervene and raise the matter with the Central government to safeguard the interests of fruit growers in the Valley. “Deeply concerned that apple import duties may be diluted in FTAs with Europe, the US and Chile, repeating the damage done by the India-New Zealand FTA. A 25 per cent duty cut has already hurt Kashmir’s apple growers, exposing them to unfair imports,” Mehbooba said in a post on X. The PDP chief emphasized that unrestricted imports “risk destroying Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture backbone that sustains 15 lakh families.” “This is not just about fruit but livelihoods. The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister must urgently take this up with the Government of India to protect our growers,” she added.
