Products & HS codes

• Fresh apples — HS 080810.
  
• Pine nuts (chilgoza) — HS 080291 (in-shell), 080292 (shelled). (EU CN and India HSN references).
  
• Dried apricots — HS 081310. (Codex & UNECE standards apply—see §3B.)
  
• Walnuts (reference) — HS 080231/080232 (in-shell/shelled).
  

Export snapshot

Apples (India overall, 2023):

• Exports US$ 9.5 m / 22.34 k t, top buyers: Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan. India is primarily a domestic market; exports are small.
  
• Imports US$ 363 m / 469.6 k t (major origins Turkey, Iran, EU, Afghanistan), so India is a net importer; domestic premium lots (incl. Kinnaur) largely sell within India.
  
• Policy context: India introduced a minimum import price (MIP) ₹50/kg for apples (May 8, 2023) and removed additional retaliatory duty on US apples (June 2023).
  

Pine nuts / Chilgoza (India):

• India’s export volumes are very small globally; example indicator: “pine nuts in-shell” exports totaled about US$ 43.5k (2023) on OEC. Global pine-nut trade is sizable (~US$ 642 m for shelled, 2023), but India is niche/specialty.
  

Dried apricots (India):

• India is a minor exporter; most apricot trade is import-dependent. (Use Codex/UNECE specs for export positioning; see §3B.) (No single authoritative 2023 figure for India-only dried-apricot exports; Indian production is localized in high-altitude districts like Kinnaur/Lahaul-Spiti.)
  

Walnuts (context):

• India does export walnuts; USDA notes >95% exports are shelled kernels (vacuum packed) with established grades. (Relevant if bundling mixed “dry fruits”.)
  

Quality & compliance requirements (buyer specs you can ask for)

Fresh Apples (Kinnaur)

Domestic trading spec (India):

• SFAC/Kisan Mandi tradable spec (Himachal apples) covers count/diameter, defect tolerances, and firmness thresholds: Grade I targets >17 lbs fruit pressure; count/diameter examples: Ex-Large 80 count, >85 mm; Large 100 count, 75–80 mm, etc.
  

International (EU/global):

• UNECE FFV-50 (Apples) is the worldwide reference used by EU and many markets: min size 60 mm (or ≥10.5 °Brix and ≥50 mm/70 g for small apples), uniformity rules (e.g., 5 mm diameter range for Extra/Class I in rows & layers) and class tolerances.
  

Cold chain & storage:

• Controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage improves firmness and suppresses disorders; recent Indian study documents CA outcomes on apple quality.
  
• Himachal’s World-Bank-supported horticulture upgrades expanded pack-house/CA capacity state-wide (useful for late-season Kinnaur fruit moving to metros/export)
  
• Kinnaur-specific: GoHP/World Bank project docs list CA at Reckong Peo and packhouse at Giabong, supporting quality-assured dispatch from Kinnaur.
  

What to ask your supplier (apples): variety (Royal/Red Delicious strain, Golden), count/diameter, blush % (SFAC suggests >85% for top lots), firmness (lbs), °Brix, pack (tray-packed 4/5-ply CFB), pre-cooling + CA itinerary, and MRL compliance (destination-market).

Dried Apricots (“Chulli”)

• Codex CXS 130-1981 (amended 2019) defines dried-apricot product, categories (whole/halved, pitted/unpitted), defects and hygiene.
  
• UNECE DDP-15 (export-control stage) sets classes (Extra/I/II), moisture limits by style, and defect tolerances—commonly accepted in EU trade.
  

What to ask (dried apricots): variety/origin (Kinnaur), processing (sun-dried vs tunnel), moisture, SO₂ treatment or “unsulphured”, size count, defect % (pits/pieces), aflatoxin test (where requested), and pack (nitrogen-flushed pouches/liners).

Pine-nut kernels (Chilgoza)

• UNECE DDP-12 (Pine nut kernels) is the go-to: moisture max 7.0% for Pinus gerardiana (chilgoza), freedom from foreign taste/odour, and class tolerances for defects. (2013 edition; 2025 alignment draft retained core numeric limits.)
  

What to ask (chilgoza): kernel origin (Kinnaur), moisture ≤7%, peroxide value (for oil freshness where tested), % broken/shell fragments, FFA, microbial counts, and vacuum-pack/nitrogen details to protect high-oil kernels.

Why Kinnaur is differentiated (India/region-specific strengths)

1. Terroir & fruit chemistry
   

• High altitude & diurnal range in Kinnaur drive colour and sugars; Kinnaur is famous for crispness & longer shelf life—NHB notes up to 4-month shelf life vs ~2 months for other apples.
  
• Late harvest window (Kinnaur is among the last to pick in Himachal—September–October), letting buyers backfill after mid-July–Aug flows from lower belts.
  
• Satellite phenology work in Kinnaur confirms elevation-linked later harvest in upper zones (e.g., Kalpa/Sangla belt).
  

2. Supply-chain investments
   

• Packhouses & CA storage built under Himachal horticulture projects (incl. facilities serving Kinnaur) help maintain firmness & reduce scald, enabling longer-haul shipments.
  

3. Unique dry-temperate dry fruits
   

• Chilgoza (Pinus gerardiana) is native to Kinnaur & Pangi; Himachal’s science council and forest working plans document its distribution and conservation—making Kinnauri chilgoza a scarce, high-value NTFP with distinct origin story.
  
• Chulli (apricot) oil from Kinnaur has a Geographical Indication (GI). (This underpins provenance claims for apricot-derived products.)
  

Practical buying notes

Kinnauri Apples

• Formats: tray-packed cartons (by count/diameter) meeting SFAC and UNECE FFV-50 sizing; insist on firmness ≥15–17 lbs, ≥10.5 °Brix (where small fruit allowed) and uniform blush for Delicious strains.
  
• Seasonality: Sep–Oct main Kinnaur picks; Kinnaur apples often follow Shimla/Kullu lots—handy for continuity in India/Gulf retail programs.
  
• Market reality: India’s apple exports are limited (US$ 9.5 m, 2023), with shipments mainly to nearby South Asia; premium Kinnauri lots typically clear domestically at better realizations. Use export selectively (e.g., diaspora/air cargo to Gulf).
  

Chilgoza (Pine-nut kernels)

• Specs to lock: origin = Kinnaur, moisture ≤7% (chilgoza), peroxide value/FFA on request; vacuum or nitrogen pack in metalized pouches within cartons. (UNECE DDP-12 reference for QC/inspection.)
  
• Sourcing context: GoHP/Forest institutions regulate and research chilgoza resources; supply is naturally limited, so plan for niche volumes and premium positioning.
  

Dried Apricots (Kinnaur “Chulli”)

• Standards: pack to Codex CXS 130 and UNECE DDP-15 (classes, moisture/defects). Clarify sulphured vs unsulphured styles for EU/US retail.
  
• GI leverage: If using Kinnaur Chulli oil as an ingredient/brand story, ensure use follows GI guidance (sourcing from the GI area; appropriate marks).
  

One-page data you can lift into your RFPs

• Apples (fresh)
  
  • HS 080810 | Spec: SFAC counts/diameters; firmness ≥15–17 lbs; blush uniformity; UNECE FFV-50 size rules and tolerances; CA chain from packhouse to dispatch.
    
  • Season: Kinnaur Sep–Oct (late window).
    
  • Export fit: South Asia/Gulf; India is a net importer, so treat Kinnaur as premium, limited-export.
    
• Chilgoza kernels
  
  • HS 080292 (shelled) / 080291 (in-shell).
    
  • Spec (UNECE DDP-12): moisture ≤7% (chilgoza), clean, sound, class tolerances; request peroxide/FFA for shelf-life assurance.
    
  • Supply: Kinnaur native resource; small-lot, high-value; plan premiums & scarcity.
    
• Dried apricots
  
  • HS 081310; Codex CXS 130 + UNECE DDP-15; define style (whole/halves), sulphuring, moisture, defects, and safe-pack.
    

Region & provenance facts you can quote

• “Kinnaur — Land of Apples” (NHB): altitude, climate and longer shelf life (≈4 months) cited as key differentiators.
  
• Kinnaur is among Himachal’s late-harvest belts, extending the season into September–October (useful for programmed supply).
  
• Chilgoza (Pinus gerardiana) distribution and importance in Kinnaur documented by Himachal’s science & environment council and forest working plans.
  
• Kinnaur “Chulli (Apricot) Oil” holds a GI tag—useful for origin-assured SKUs.