Why the clamour to ban Turkish apple

The demand for a blanket ban on the import of apples from Turkey is getting louder by the day. The trigger for the demand is the “military help” extended by Turkey to Pakistan in the conflict with India following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Citing the help India offered to Turkey when it was rocked by a massive earthquake in 2023, politicians and apple growers are accusing Turkey of “backstabbing” India.

What is the import share

Turkey has emerged as one of the largest apple exporters to India over the last few years. Turkey and Iran are the only two countries which have exported more than 1 lakh metric tonnes of apple to India over the last couple of years. Apple growers have been raising concern over the increasing imports from the two countries.

According to the growers, apples from these two countries reach the Indian shores at cheap rates, which adversely affects the marketability of the local produce. Due to the higher cost of production, the local apple fails to compete with the cheap imports.

What local growers want

The apple growers in India have been demanding a hike in import duty from the existing 50 per cent to 100 per cent and doubling of the minimum import price for the last few years. However, the Centre hasn’t taken note of the demand so far. Also, some apple growers suspect that the Chinese apple, which is banned in India, is also pushed into the Indian market through Turkey.

Entry season

The apple import from Turkey and Iran starts around October-November, which coincides with the harvesting season of the orchards located in the higher altitudes of Himachal Pradesh and in Kashmir. But the real spurt in import comes from January when the harvesting season of Himachal and Kashmir is over. The import continues till June.

“The Turkish apple hits us during the running season as well but its maximum impact is felt on stored apple,” says Lokinder Bisht, president of the Progressive Growers Association, Himachal.

Apart from apple, Turkey exports cherry and plum as well to India. The quantity isn’t significant at the moment but the local fruit growers fear it could increase substantially like apple. “The volume of Turkish apple has increased significantly over the last four-five years. Likewise, the volume of cherry and plum could go up, which will hit the stone fruit growers,” says Harish Chauhan, president of Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers Growers Association. Pointing out that Pune fruit traders have decided not to import Turkish apple, Chauhan wants others to follow suit.

How to identify

Turkey grows and exports ‘Delicious’ variety apple to India. The apple is glossy and of uniform colour, much like the premium quality apple grown in Himachal.

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