The local chapter of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has welcomed the amendment to the import of apple, curtailing restrictions of importing it through only one port in the Country.

The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had issued a notification in September last, wherein import of fresh apples has been restricted only through the Port of Nhava Sheva in Maharashtra. But this created lot of problems to Fruit Merchants throughout India particularly the apple merchants, ICCI president, D Nandakumar said.

He and ICCI Secretary, Rajesh B Lund, along with representative of Coimbatore Fruit Merchants’ Association had met Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Nirmala Sitharaman, when she was here in October last and represented the issue.

In response to the representations and also Fruit Merchants Association from all corners, DGFT, has issued another notification on January 12, curtailing the restrictions and allowing apple imports through Sea Ports and Airports in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Cochin and Land Port and Airport in Delhi, he said.

The import of Apples is also allowed through India’s land borders, which would help in increasng availability of apple in the domestic market and ease its prices, Nandakumar said.