Conflict may trigger dry fruit price rise

The Israel-Iran military conflict may lead to a further increase in prices of imported nuts and dry fruits in India by exacerbating supply issues, said traders.The commodities, sourced from Afghanistan and Iran, have already seen a 15-100% surge in prices as imports through Pakistan have been completely blocked in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, they said. Industry representatives had a meeting with the central government authorities this week, seeking clarity on the duty structure for the Afghan-origin dry fruits imported through Iran.However, the Israel-Iran conflict comes as a double-whammy for the industry, said people familiar with the matter.