New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday took up the issue of apple growers with the central government and urged for its immediate intervention against the dumping of foreign apples, which is hurting the state's economy.

In a meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Sukhu also raised the issue of state's finances and pleaded for creating a separate 'Green Fund' with annual allocation of Rs 50,000 crore for hill states.

The chief minister, who called on Sitharaman here, said this allocation is being sought keeping in view the ecological services being provided by hill states which are green frontiers and "lungs" of North India, a statement said.

He also sought the Centre's support for strengthening the financial condition of Himachal Pradesh.

Advocating for the interests of over 2.5 lakh apple growers, he demanded that apples be included in the 'special category' to shield domestic growers from unfair international competition.

The chief minister called for an immediate ban on all apple imports during the peak Himachal production window of July-November and a hike in import duty of apples to 100 per cent during off-season months to discourage foreign dumping.

He requested for quantitative restriction on apple imports.

The chief minister briefed the Union Minister that a delegation of progressive orchardists of the state also met him on Tuesday and raised their concern over reduction of import duty on apples being imported from New Zealand which has adversely affected the interests of local orchardists.

Sukhu highlighted that Himachal Pradesh known as the 'Apple State of India,' generates an annual income of approximately Rs 4,500 crore from apple production, contributing nearly 80 per cent of the state’s total fruit production.

"This is not just about fruit, it is about the livelihood and sustenance of 2.5 lakh families and the generation of 10 lakh man-days of employment," Sukhu said.

"Our small and marginal farmers are being pushed to the brink by trade policies that favour foreign corporations over Indian soil," he rued.

He expressed grave concern over Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand, noting that imports have surged 2.5 times over past ten years. He said that the 25 per cent duty exemption for New Zealand apples during the April-August window, was crashing prices for local apples stored in CA/cold storage facilities, effectively destroying the off-season trade for Himachal's growers.

He said that effective steps were to be taken to protect the livelihood of small and marginal farmers.

The chief minister requested the Union Finance Minister for extending support to the state by allowing additional borrowing of two per cent GSDP as steep reduction in Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) over last few years has severely constrained the fiscal space available to the state. PTI SKC BPL ANU ANU

Himachal apples: state seeks import ban in peak season, 100% off season duty, and trade protections for growers. The state requests central intervention to protect apple growers by imposing a ban on imports during the July-November peak, raising import duty to 100 percent in off-season months, applying quantitative restrictions, and designating apples as a special category commodity; it also seeks a Green Fund allocation for hill states and permission for additional borrowing to address constrained fiscal space.