Shimla, Jun 26 (IANS): The Union government's decision to reduce the import duty on Washington (US) apples from 70 to 50 per cent is against the interests of apple growers of  Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu said on Monday.

Since long, the orchard owners of the state have been demanding to increase the import duty on all types of foreign apples from 70 to 100 per cent.

Sukhu, in a statement, said that instead of increasing an import duty, the Central government has reduced the import duty on Washington apples by 20 per cent, which was against the interests of apple growers, besides the state’s economy.

He said he would take up the issue with the Centre and demanded that the import duty on all types of foreign apples be increased to 100 per cent.

During 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to increase the import duty on foreign apples and to blend five per cent apple concentrate in all types of cold drinks.