India-New Zealand FTA to cut duties on select kiwis, apples and Manuka honey from October 2026
The India-New Zealand FTA is set to begin on 20 October 2026, with quota-led duty concessions on products including kiwis, apples, Manuka honey, wood and wool. Shelf-price savings will depend on importers and retailers passing on lower costs; several dairy and farm categories remain excluded.
What happened
India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement · India-New Zealand FTA takes effect 20 October 2026, lowering duties on selected imports including kiwi fruit, apples,
Key facts
- FTA effective 20 October 2026
- Tariff concessions cover 70% of tariff lines
- Manuka honey quota: 200 tonnes/year; duty cut from 66% toward 16.5% from year five
- Kiwi quota: 6,250 tonnes in year one rising to 15,000 tonnes by year six at 0% duty
- Apple quota: 32,500 tonnes in year one rising to 45,000 tonnes by year six at 25% duty
What changed
India-New Zealand FTA takes effect 20 October 2026, lowering duties on selected imports including kiwi fruit, apples, Manuka honey, wood and wool. Retail price benefits depend on importer and retailer pass-through; dairy and several farm products remain excluded.
Why this matters
The FTA could modestly improve grocery price competitiveness and volumes in select imported produce and premium honey from October 2026, but the financial upside depends on quota availability, pass-through rates and excluded dairy categories.
What to watch
- Final FTA tariff schedules, quota volumes, allocation methodology and certificate-of-origin rules.
- Whether zero-duty kiwi access applies immediately to commercially meaningful volumes and whether apple reductions are sufficient to change landed-cost economics.
- Rupee-New Zealand dollar movements, ocean/air freight rates, cold-chain capacity and port clearance times.
- New Zealand crop output and export availability for the 2026-27 season.
- Retailer announced shelf-price reductions, promotional intensity and import-volume data after October 2026.