According to thehindubusinessline.com, India’s Commerce Ministry has notified the procedure for allocating Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) for apples, kiwifruit, Manuka honey, and albumins from New Zealand under the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, effective October 20, 2026.
Phased Apple Quotas and Duty Conditions
For apples, India will apply no quota in the first year of the agreement. The annual TRQ will then rise incrementally: 35,000 tonnes in the second year, 37,500 tonnes in the third, 40,000 tonnes in the fourth, and 42,500 tonnes in the fifth. From the sixth year onward, the quota stabilizes at 45,000 tonnes per year. Imports under this TRQ will be subject to a 25 per cent duty, provided their cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value is at least USD 1.25 per kg. The annual import window runs from April 1 to August 31, and the current baseline import duty on apples stands at 50 per cent.
Kiwifruit, Albumins, and Manuka Honey Allocations
Kiwifruit imports will follow a similar phased expansion: no quota in Year 1; 8,000 tonnes in Year 2; rising to 9,750 tonnes in Year 3, 11,500 tonnes in Year 4, and 13,250 tonnes in Year 5 — reaching 15,000 tonnes annually from Year 6 onward. These imports will be duty-free if their CIF value meets or exceeds USD 1.80 per kg, and the import window extends from April 1 to October 15. For albumins, the quota begins at 200 tonnes in Year 1, climbs to 1,500 tonnes in Year 2, 2,000 tonnes in Year 3, and 2,500 tonnes in Year 4, then settles at 3,000 tonnes annually from Year 5. These attract an 11 per cent duty and may enter throughout the year.
Manuka Honey Certification and Export Controls
Manuka honey imports will be limited to 40 tonnes in the first year and 200 tonnes annually thereafter, contingent upon certification by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries. New Zealand will allocate quotas to exporters via official export certificates specifying product type, quantity, and designated Indian importer. As stated in the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) public notice:
“The procedure for allocation of TRQ under the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is notified,”
Each TRQ authorization is valid only for the quota year issued and imports must occur within the defined window; unutilized quantities lapse upon expiry. The notice was published on October 19, 2026.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
