Why in news?

• Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today urged the Central Government to increase import duty on apple from 50 per cent to 100 per cent to protect Himachal growers and approve the Mandi airport
• The import duty on apple should be increased and the crop should be excluded from the list of fruits and other commodities brought under the Open General
• Apple is the main horticultural crop of the state and a primary source of livelihood for a large population. However, due to a huge arrival of imported apple in the national market, the prices of Himachal apple have fallen sharply, leading to revenue loss to local horticulturists,”