NZ Apple Growers Ready to Share Expertise in India
New Zealand's role is not to compete with Indian growers, according to NZ Apples and Pears.
New Zealand Apples and Pears (NZAPI) Chief Executive Danielle Adsett and Apple Action Plan Project Manager Lachlan McKay spent a week in India earlier this month with Special Agricultural Trade Envoy Nathan Guy. They were there to advance plans for an India-based Centre of Excellence.
The delegation met senior government officials, industry leaders and apple growers in New Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. New Zealand High Commissioner Patrick Rata supported the visit.
Who They Met
Meetings included India’s Horticulture Commissioner, Dr Prabhat Kumar, and APEDA Chairman Shri Abhishek Dev. In Himachal Pradesh, the delegation met Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi, horticulture officials and local growers.
Discussions focused on progressing the Apple Action Plan, developing a Centre of Excellence, and identifying opportunities for technical collaboration and knowledge sharing between the two countries’ apple industries.
Shared Challenges
Adsett said the visit highlighted strong goodwill between the two industries and reaffirmed the challenges and opportunities growers share.
“Wherever we travelled, it was clear that apples are enormously important to local communities and regional economies,” she said. “We met growers and leaders who are passionate about the future of their industry and keen to work together on practical solutions.”
She said Indian growers, like those in New Zealand, are dealing with climate pressures, orchard productivity challenges, pest and disease management, and the need to invest in modern infrastructure. “There is significant value in sharing knowledge, expertise and innovation to help address those challenges.”
A Training Hub for Growers
The planned Centre of Excellence will serve as a practical demonstration and training hub for apple growers. A Digital Centre of Excellence online will support it.
Adsett said the Apple Action Plan reflects New Zealand’s commitment to ensuring the free trade agreement delivers practical benefits beyond market access. “The FTA is about much more than trade,” she said. “And our growers get that.”
"New Zealand's Role is Not to Compete"
Adsett said New Zealand growers recognise that helping India renew its orchards does not automatically make it a direct competitor. She said a counter-seasonal and complementary supply of premium fruit can strengthen India’s consumer apple market.
“New Zealand’s role is not to compete with Indian growers,” she said. “Our commitment is to work alongside them, sharing expertise where it can add value and supporting the long-term success of India’s apple sector.”
What the Agreement Says About Apples
The New Zealand Government says the agreement gives New Zealand valuable new quota access for apples and kiwifruit, and that New Zealand is the first country to secure preferential access for apples in any Indian free trade agreement. Trade press reports that access is managed through tariff rate quotas, minimum import prices and seasonal import windows, with safeguards intended to address import surges. The agreement also includes an Agriculture Productivity Partnership covering apples, kiwifruit and honey. One analysis has described apples as the most politically sensitive agricultural issue in the deal.
The agreement is reported to enter into force on 20 October 2026.
What Happens Next
Work is now underway to progress the next phase of the Apple Action Plan and turn high-level commitments into practical outcomes on the ground, NZAPI said. It noted strong enthusiasm for collaboration across government, industry and grower groups.
