Farmer unions and apple growers from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand have announced that will go on a nationwide strike on July 9 to protest against the potential inclusion of agricultural produce under a zero-tariff framework which will be reportedly discussed between India and the United States.
The call for protest comes in the wake of growing concerns that duty-free imports of apples and other agricultural commodities might severely hurt domestic growers, especially in the hill states. According to reports, the United States has set a July 9 deadline for India to accept the proposal, further intensifying concerns among local producers.
The decision to hold the protest was taken during a meeting of several horticultural organisations in Shimla on Monday. Local producers from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir shared their fears that the ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries might compromise their interests by opening Indian markets to cheaper imported produce.
Rakesh Singha, former MLA and convener of the Himachal Pradesh Sanyukt Kisan Manch, said fruit growers from the state as well as members of the All-India Kisan and Mazdoor organisations, will take part in the nationwide agitation on July 9.
Singha said, "The July 9 protest is being supported at the all-India level by farmers and workers' unions. In Himachal Pradesh, fruit growers' unions and the
The All-India Farmers and Producers Federation will also join. Our main demands include protecting farmers from the ongoing efforts to dispossess them of their land, opposing the proposed abolition of import duties, and ensuring a petition is filed in the Himachal Pradesh High Court against land evictions."
He also criticised the Centre for discontinuing the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) in the state, adding that funds had stopped coming from Delhi.
"This is a battle not just about import duties, but about saving livelihoods. The MIS used to support apple growers but is now defunct because the Centre is not releasing the funds," Singha added.
Echoing similar concerns, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, MLA from the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, said all farmers in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are united on their issues.
"Farmers from Himachal and Jammu & Kashmir are united in this struggle. Fruit growers are already facing challenges in the market. Now, there are reports that the U.S. is pushing for agricultural goods to be brought under zero-duty tariffs. We are demanding an increase in customs duties, not their abolition. This is our own produce, grown through hard labour, and it deserves a fair opportunity in the domestic market," Tarigami said.
The Apple Federation of India has also called for unity among apple growers in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, stating that the fight for farmers' rights has now become a collective battle that cuts across geographies and regions.
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