New Delhi: India will allow 35,000 tonnes of imported apples from New Zealand at a concessional duty of 25% in 2027 under the free trade agreement (FTA), compared with the prevailing import duty of 50%, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said Monday.
Kiwifruit imports will qualify for zero customs duty under the tariff rate quota (TRQ), subject to a minimum CIF value of $1.80 per kg while 40 tonnes of New Zealand-certified Manuka honey under the quota have been permitted for 2026. The annual limit will increase to 200 tonnes from 2027.
"A TRQ authorisation shall be valid only for the quota year in which it is issued, and imports against it shall be permitted only within the quota window. Any unutilised quantity shall lapse on expiry of the authorisation," the DGFT said in a public notice, adding that these provisions will take effect on October 20, 2026.
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For apples, there will be no quota in the first year. The annual import window will run from April 1 to August 31. At present, India has a 50% import duty on apples. For kiwifruit, there will be no quota in the first year. The quota will start at 8,000 tonnes in the second year and rise to 9,750 tonnes in the third, 11,500 tonnes in the fourth and 13,250 tonnes in the fifth. As per the notice, the TRQ for albumins, a category of protein products, will be 200 tonnes in the first year, 1,500 tonnes in the second, 2,000 tonnes in the third and 2,500 tonnes in the fourth.