New Zealand apple exporters will benefit from a concessional import tariff of 25 per cent on shipments to India under the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into force on 20 October 2026. The reduced duty, against the existing standard tariff of 50 per cent, will initially apply to an annual quota of 35,000 tonnes in 2027.
According to reports by EastFruit, citing Sad24, the preferential tariff will be applicable between 1 April and 31 August, coinciding with New Zealand’s apple export season. Shipments will also be subject to a minimum import price of US$1.25 per kg, inclusive of transportation and insurance costs. The annual quota is scheduled to increase gradually to 45,000 tonnes in subsequent years.
The tariff concession is expected to strengthen New Zealand’s competitiveness in the Indian market, while exporters from other countries will continue to face the prevailing 50 per cent import duty unless covered by preferential trade arrangements.
Poland, one of the major European apple suppliers to India, currently faces the standard tariff. According to Eurostat data, Poland exported around 23,000 tonnes of apples to India between January and July 2026. Shipments during the first five months of the year stood at 20,500 tonnes, registering an 87 per cent year-on-year increase.
Meanwhile, negotiations on the proposed India-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement concluded on 27 January 2026. The proposed agreement provides for reducing India’s apple import tariff from 50 per cent to 20 per cent, subject to an initial annual quota of 50,000 tonnes. The quota is expected to increase to 100,000 tonnes from the eleventh year of implementation.
The preferential access proposed for New Zealand and the EU could reshape competition in India’s imported apple market, potentially creating new opportunities for overseas suppliers while increasing competitive pressure on domestic producers.