India has agreed to New Zealand’s request to lower the 30% import duty on kiwi fruit. Furthermore, New Zealand has granted market access to Indian mangoes, bananas, and fresh pomegranate seeds.
According to sources, New Zealand has also positively responded to India’s request for cooperation in technology exchange to increase fruit yields such as apples.
According to sources, an agreement will likely be signed when New Zealand’s prime minister visits India in October. Also Read | Jammu & Kashmir inked contract with New Zealand to improve sheep farming
“The import duty may not be cut substantially as Indian growers may be affected since kiwi area has reached around 6,000 hectares,” according to an official source.
Growing trade
The requests were made during high-level talks between Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and New Zealand’s Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, Trade, and Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs Todd McClay in New Delhi on August 12, according to a government statement. India has requested expedited approval for its recently audited vapour heat treatment facilities in Lucknow and Delhi for mango exports, as well as early market access for grape shipments, it stated.
Both ministers also discussed expanding the trade of fresh and dried fruits. The New Zealand minister thanked India for the recent resumption of pine log exports from New Zealand, which had previously faced fumigation issues.
The ministers agreed to expand private-sector partnerships to boost bilateral trade and investment. They also investigated opportunities for technical collaboration in research and development, particularly in horticulture and cage fisheries.
“Kiwi fruits from Chile have 15% duty due to India’s preferential trade agreement, which gives it a price advantage over New Zealand,” said Anil Dwivedi, a leading fruit importer. There is competition because the harvesting seasons in Chile and New Zealand are the same, from April to October, he said, adding that New Zealand’s kiwi has a quality advantage over other countries. Iran’s kiwi exports to India begin after the New Zealand season has ended.
India’s kiwi imports in 2023-24 were 43,270 tonnes, down from 50,920 tonnes in 2022-23.
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