New Delhi, Feb. 8 -- Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday clarified that the Centre has not "opened up" the market for US apples under the interim trade pact, but instead has given them a "quota" that is less than current apple imports, while fully protecting domestic apple growers

Of the 5.5 lakh tonnes of apples that India exports, a large quantity of it comes from the United States, he said.

Goyal stated that India has not opened its market to agricultural products that remain in surplus in the country. However, he said apples were not produced in surplus, noting that India produces 20-21 lakh tonnes of apples while demand is over 25-26 lakh tonnes.

"We are not surplus in apples. The demand for apples is more ...