US trade deal: Apple farmers from J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand unite
India
Apple growers from Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are joining forces as the Apple Farmers's Federation of India (AFFI) to protest a new India-US trade deal.
The agreement lets American apples enter India without import duties, and local farmers worry this will flood the market and hurt their own sales.
Farmers' livelihoods at risk
The AFFI is planning a big protest in Delhi this March, backed by the influential Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)—the same group that helped overturn controversial farm laws.
Farmers say their livelihoods are at risk and are calling for support.
Kulgam MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami called the deal "practically a surrender" before America, saying it limits India's freedom to make its own trade decisions.