Shimla, July 1 (KNN) The Himachal Pradesh government is urging the union government to increase the import duty on foreign apples, especially on Washington apples.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister is soon going to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and keep forward a demand to increase the import duty, Naresh Chauhan, media advisor to the CM said on Friday.

Centre had recently reduced the import duty on foreign apples.

"Himachal Pradesh is popular as an apple state. The highest apple production of apples is from Himachal Pradesh. In seven districts of the state, 1.5 lakh families or nearly seven lakh people are involved in the apple business. People are directly or indirectly involved in the apple industry," Chauhan said.

He informed that the state government’s priority is to grow the apple industry of the state.

"In 2014, PM Modi promised to promote apple farming and that the import duty will be increased to 100 per cent. Our apples can't compete in the market with imported apples," media advisor to the CM said.

Chauhan added that the PM during his visit to the US, reduced the import duty of Washington apples from 70 per cent to 50 per cent.  (KNN Bureau)