The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday adopted a resolution moved by Congress MLA and AICC spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore under a private member’s Bill, raising serious concerns on the impact on the Himachal-based apple growers over the proposed Free Trade Agreements (FTA) of India with the US, European Union (EU), and New Zealand.

Moving the resolution, Rathore said the issue was not merely related to trade policy but directly affected the livelihoods of over 1.5 lakh apple-growing families in Himachal Pradesh, along with lakhs of others across hill states. While the proposed trade agreement with the United States is being projected as a diplomatic and economic achievement, Rathore cautioned that it could prove detrimental to small and marginal apple farmers in India.

Highlighting the economic significance of apple cultivation, he said the sector contributes over Rs 5,000 crore annually to Himachal Pradesh’s economy. Most apple growers in the state, he pointed out, own small landholdings of one to two acres and depend entirely on seasonal income from family-run orchards. Drawing a comparison with the United States, Rathore noted that apple orchards in Washington state in the US — one of the largest exporters — average nearly 100 acres in size. “This is not competition; this is structural inequality,” he remarked.

He further pointed out stark differences in productivity. In the US, apples are grown on high-density clonal rootstock, yielding 50 to 80 tonnes per hectare. In contrast, orchards in Himachal Pradesh largely rely on traditional seedling rootstock, producing barely 6 to 7 tonnes per hectare — putting Indian farmers at a tenfold disadvantage.

Meanwhile, the Opposition members including BJP MLA Balbir Verma from Chopal advocated the FTA agreement with the US and EU has protected the interests of apple growers of not only Himachal Pradesh but also of other states including Uttarakhand and North Eastern states.

Speaking in favor of the motion, Congress MLA Harish Janartha said, “The central government says that the imported apples from US and EU countries will only fill the gap between the demand and supply of apples in India. But I would like to draw the attention of the House towards the fact that the foreign countries will export the raw and substandard fruits to India”.

“No country will send quality products to our country. Instead of importing apples from other countries, the central government should encourage the quality and quantity of apple production in our state,” Janartha added.

Adopting the resolution, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said that it will be sent to the central government recommending that a policy should be framed to protect the interests of Himachal based apple growers from the impact of FTAs.