Question : Dumping of Imported Fruits and Vegetables

a) whether the Government has taken note of dumping of fruits and vegetables including apple and garlic by some foreign countries in India, thus affecting farmers and fruit growers adversely and if so, the facts thereof;
b) whether the Government has received requests from various quarters including public representatives to put some fruits and vegetables in ''special products'' category and increase tariff on imported fruits and vegetables within the framework of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules;
c) if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto; and
d) the other corrective measures taken/being taken by the Government to protect and domestic fruits and vegetables growers in the country?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

(a) The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping & Allied Duties (DGAD) under the Department of Commerce, conducts anti-dumping investigations on the basis of a duly substantiated petition filed by the Domestic Industry alleging dumping of goods into the country causing injury to the Domestic Industry. However, no petition/application, duly substantiated, has been filed in DGAD by the Domestic Industry alleging injury due to dumping of fruits and vegetables, including apple and garlic, by some foreign countries into India.

(b&c) The Government has received few references from various quarters including public representatives, for increasing the import duty on apples and putting apples in the Special Products category.

The present import tariff is 50% which is also the Bound Rate of Duty agreed to in GATT/WTO. As such, there is no scope for increase in tariff rates under the present WTO regime.
In so far as putting apples in Special Products category is concerned, India does not have the flexibility of designating any agricultural product as Special Product till Doha Round, which is underway since 2001, is concluded. Even designating apples as a Special Products will not enable India to raise tariffs. Such Special Products would either undergo no reductions in import duties or would undergo lower reductions in import duties than would be applicable to other agricultural products.

(d) The Government provides assistance under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme being implemented during XII Plan, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector including fruits and vegetables.
The Government is also implementing number of measures and incentives for promoting the exports of fruits and vegetables under Plan schemes of the Commodity Boards and Export Promotion Councils etc. which are likely to benefit the entire horticulture industry. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the administrative control of the Department of Commerce, under various components of its plan scheme viz. Market Development; Infrastructure Development; Quality Development; and Transport Assistance, extends financial assistance to the eligible exporters. Besides these measures, incentives under Merchandise Export Incentive Scheme(MEIS) are available for export of Fruits and Vegetables.

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