Shimla, May 21 -- Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the import duty on apples from 50 per cent to at least 100 per cent to discourage the import of apples from Turkey and to safeguard the interests of the apple growers of the state.

He also urged that quantitative restrictions should be imposed on imported apples, an official release said.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh is known as the country's 'Apple Bowl' and is famous for producing delicious varieties of apples. The apple is the prime cash crop of the State and generates an income of about Rs. 4500 crore annually. He said that about 10 lakh man-days are ...