Latest news with #AzadpurFruitandVegetableMarket
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Geopolitical winds set to sweeten India's apple harvest
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel New Delhi: An apple a day - but at a price set by geopolitics. With Turkey Iran and Afghanistan emerging as the top three apple import sources for India, shifting geopolitical dynamics are expected to play an outsized role in shaping prices this harvest season, beginning in Delhi's Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Market - arguably Asia's largest - traders may continue to steer clear of imports from Turkey, which was India's largest apple supplier last fiscal year with shipments worth $97 million. The reluctance stems from prevailing negative sentiment toward Ankara over its active support for Islamabad during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, two traders have told the challenge is the continued closure of the Attari-Wagah border between India and Pakistan since May has effectively halted the entry of apples from Afghanistan - typically the most affordable among all imported varieties - into the Indian market. The disruption may contribute to a rise in prices of domestic apples from Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, whose harvest peaks between August and October, when traders will buy and store the apples for the months to come."Apples from Afghanistan, which are sold for Rs 40-65 per kg in the wholesale market, are cheaper than Kashmir or Himachal apples, which cost between Rs 60 and Rs 90 per kg," says Pawan Chhabra, fruit merchant and owner of Adarsh Fruits.'Production costs in Afghanistan are extremely low, and on top of that, the imports are duty-free under an agreement (South Asia Free Trade Area agreement),' he says, adding that he won't be surprised if the cost of domestic apples rises in the upcoming season.'While the conflict in Iran has paused for now, many importers remain cautious about sourcing Iranian apples due to the high risks involved,' says another fruit importer, requesting anonymity. 'In recent years, most Indian importers have operated more like commission agents for Iranian exporters, earning a cut of 4-6% on each sale.'While apple production in India — primarily concentrated in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh — is estimated at around 2.4 million metric tonnes, domestic consumption exceeds this output. Just last financial year, India imported 34,000 tonnes of apples valued at $450 million, a 12% year-on-year rise in terms of value.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Time of India
Delhi police uncover scam involving forged no entry permits for commercial vehicles
New Delhi: The Delhi Traffic Police unearthed a scam involving the sale and use of forged No Entry Permission stickers used by commercial vehicle owners to operate illegally during restricted hours. So far, two cases have come to light, resulting in the arrest of three individuals. According to officials, on May 15, sub-inspector Ritul and constable Phool Kanwar were on duty at ITO Chowk under the Kamla Market Traffic Circle. Around 9 p.m., they stopped a commercial vehicle entering DDU Marg from BSZ Marg during restricted hours. When the officers checked the No Entry Permission sticker on the vehicle's windshield using the E-challan system, they found no valid record. They further verified the suspicious pass with the issuing authority, DCP Traffic Headquarters, which confirmed it was forged. During the inquiry, the driver, identified as Dilip Kumar, a resident of Etah, revealed that the pass was purchased by the vehicle owner from an unknown individual at the Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Market, said deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) Hukma Ram Sai. Following the initial investigation, the driver contacted Rajesh Kumar, the vehicle owner's brother, who admitted to obtaining the fake permit from a man named Tushar. A complaint was filed at the IP Estate Police Station, and a formal case was registered. During the investigation, Tushar was apprehended and confessed to obtaining the forged sticker from Sonu Kumar Mishra, a Burari resident who runs a cyber café in Indraprasth Colony. Both Rajesh and Sonu were arrested in connection with the case. In a similar incident on May 14, another commercial vehicle was found operating in the No Entry zone at ITO Chowk using a counterfeit pass. A case was registered, and investigations revealed that the driver, Muzzamil, had purchased the fake permit from an individual named Faizuddin. Muzzamil was subsequently arrested. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests may follow as authorities dig deeper into the network supplying these fake passes. Officials are also exploring whether similar forged permits have been used elsewhere in the city.
