Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Urges Centre to Stop Illegal Raisin Imports from China

Mumbai : Deputy Chief Minister and Finance & Planning Minister Ajit Pawar has written to the Central Government, urging immediate action to stop the illegal import of low-quality raisins from China, which is being done by evading import duties. He warned that such imports are severely affecting grape-growing farmers and causing substantial losses to national revenue.

In his letter addressed to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar highlighted the alarming rise in the illegal import of substandard Chinese raisins into India. These imports, made without paying the applicable customs duties and taxes, are not only undermining domestic grape producers but also causing a significant loss to government revenue.

Due to this surge in off-season illegal imports, the prices of domestically produced raisins have fallen drastically by ₹100 to ₹125 per kilogram, hitting the incomes of Indian grape farmers hard. Pawar urged the Centre to take urgent steps to stabilize raisin prices and protect farmers from economic distress during the peak marketing season.

He demanded that stringent action be taken to halt the illegal import and sale of such raisins. To prevent tax evasion and ensure quality control, he recommended strengthening inspection and tax collection mechanisms at ports, airports, and market hubs.

Pawar emphasized that immediate measures must be taken to protect grape farmers from financial losses, ensure proper customs procedures are followed, and verify the quality of imported raisins. These actions, he stated, are crucial for maintaining fair pricing in the domestic market and safeguarding the livelihood of farmers.

The Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association (Pune) had earlier met Deputy CM Pawar to raise this issue and sought his intervention. Acting on their concerns, Pawar formally escalated the matter to the Central Government through this letter.