Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:05pm on 22 Jan 2026,Thursday India Global
Anti-government protests in Iran since late December 2025 have severely disrupted India's apple supply chain, causing shortages and price hikes. At Pune's APMC Gultekdi Market Yard, weekly Iranian apple arrivals plummeted from 8,000-10,000 crates to just 4,000-4,500 crates. Wholesale prices surged ₹150-200 per 10kg, with Iranian apples now selling at ₹1,350-1,500 per 10kg compared to Afghan apples at ₹900-1,000. November to February is typically the Iranian apple import season. Environmental factors compounded the crisis as reduced yields in Turkey and inadequate snowfall in key cultivating countries stunted harvests. Despite government reducing import duties on New Zealand apples from 50% to 25%, premium varieties remain unaffordable for most Indian consumers. (PC: The Indian Express)
