The expansion of international trade agreements is creating severe policy challenges for domestic agricultural sectors, particularly apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Following the enforcement of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the UK, New Zealand, and proposed pacts with the US and EU, local orchardists face intense competition from foreign imports. Domestic growers in both regions are grappling with declining returns due to surging input and logistics costs, unseasonal climate impacts, and inadequate cold-chain and storage facilities. This has triggered urgent demands for seasonal import safeguards and higher domestic infrastructure investment to protect local livelihoods. In response to growing trade demand, India’s maritime infrastructure is undergoing targeted upgrades. At Chennai Port, three state-of-the-art EXIM godowns spanning 18,000 square meters have been operationalized to handle non-containerised cargo such as food grains and steel coils safely. Concurrently, coastal environmental balance remains under review, as the National Fisherfolk Forum has raised objections regarding the Karaikal Port master plan, urging authorities to evaluate compliance under updated Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) frameworks to safeguard local fishing communities.