Kashmiri apples.
Credit: PTI photo
Srinagar: A growing boycott of Turkish apples across India, triggered by Turkey’s recent pro-Pakistan stance during diplomatic tensions, is offering a rare glimmer of hope for Kashmir’s struggling apple industry.
The move, seen by many Indian traders as a patriotic response to Turkey’s perceived interference, has led to widespread calls to reject Turkish produce—especially apples—at fruit markets nationwide.
The boycott gained momentum in the wake of Operation Sindoor, a recent Indian military operation aimed at neutralising cross-border terror infrastructure. Turkey’s vocal support for Pakistan during this period provoked strong nationalist sentiment among Indian traders and consumers alike. As a result, several major fruit mandis have reportedly refused to accept Turkish apple shipments.
For Kashmir, which produces over 75 per cent of India’s apples, the boycott could signal a long-awaited turning point. Local growers have struggled for years with declining profits, largely due to competition from cheaper imported apples, particularly those from Turkey. These imports, often arriving under preferential trade agreements, have undercut local prices.
“This could be the break our apple industry has desperately needed,” said Bashir Ahmad Basheer, President of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Union. “Kashmir apple has faced stiff competition from imported apples, which led to lower returns for fruit growers in Kashmir. If the Centre bans Turkish apple imports, it will have a positive impact on our produce.”
Over the last few years, farmers across the Valley have witnessed plummeting profits, with imported apples—often sold below market price—saturating Indian mandis. Turkish apples, in particular, have been a major concern due to their competitive pricing and aggressive marketing.
Basheer added that Turkish apples arriving at Indian ports under preferential trade arrangements “crippled our market, as our growers couldn’t match their price points even with superior quality.”
Economic analysts estimate that a continued boycott or formal import restrictions could increase domestic apple prices by 10–15%, directly benefiting the estimated 700,000 families in Kashmir who rely on apple farming for their livelihood.
“The apple industry is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy,” said an agricultural economist. “Nearly half of the population in the Valley is involved in apple cultivation, trade, or related activities. Even a modest price hike can bring transformative change.”
However, experts caution that while the boycott may offer short-term gains, the government must also address deeper structural issues plaguing the sector, such as inadequate cold storage, high transportation costs, and over-reliance on middlemen.
For many growers, the boycott represents an unexpected lifeline in a sector otherwise gripped by uncertainty. “Let Turkish politics be their problem. We want our apples to survive,” said Mushtaq Lone, a grower from north Kashmir's Sopore. “This is our season of hope.”