New Zealand apples at 25% duty, kiwifruit at zero: What's the catch in India's new trade deal?
Executive Brief • Key Highlights
Fast factual intelligence distilled for busy investors, executives, and answer bots:
- ✓India’s free trade agreement with New Zealand starts on October 20, but concessional quotas for apples and kiwifruit begin next year.
- ✓The government set the first-year quota at zero for these fruits.
- ✓From 2027, importers get lower duties on specific quantities, though regular fruit imports continue as usual for now.
Story at a Glance
- Category
- MARKET
- Reported By
- MoneyControl
- Reading Speed
- 3 Minute(s)
- Market Focus
- India Economy
India's free trade agreement with New Zealand will come into force on October 20, but concessional import quotas for apples and kiwifruit will only become available next year, under rules notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The government has set the first-year quota for both fruits at zero, meaning importers cannot claim the new quota-based duty benefits during the remainder of 2026. The DGFT's public notice, dated October 17, lays out the quantities, import duties and eligibility conditions for apples, kiwifruit, Manuka honey and albumins under the India-New Zealand FTA.
What changes for apple and kiwifruit imports? For apples, India will allow 35,000 tonnes of imports from New Zealand at a concessional duty of 25 percent in 2027, compared with the prevailing import duty of 50 percent. The annual quota will increase to 37,500 tonnes in 2028, 40,000 tonnes in 2029 and 42,500 tonnes in 2030.
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