Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), May 15: In the wake of Turkey’s open support to Pakistan during recent Indo-Pak tensions, a wave of protest is rising from an unlikely but potent group — young apple growers from Himachal Pradesh — who are demanding a complete ban or steep import duty hike on apples from Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and China.
Voicing their concerns, these educated farmers argue that foreign imports are undercutting local prices, harming the domestic apple economy and threatening the livelihoods of lakhs of families in the hill state. Their demand has taken on a tone of both economic justice and national interest.
Ankit Bramta, a young orchardist from Jubbal in Shimla district and former software engineer, stated:
“This is the right moment to stop Turkish apples from entering India. Agriculture has a future, unlike many tech sectors that AI may disrupt. Turkey has shown where its loyalty lies — not with India. Why should we let their apples flood our markets?”
Bramta explained that India imports around 80 lakh apple boxes annually from Turkey, which, along with Iranian imports, forms the bulk of the 3 crore boxes India brings in to meet its annual demand of 15 crore. He said Indian growers from Himachal, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand produce about 12 crore boxes — nearly enough to meet national demand.
“If Turkey’s 30% import share is banned, domestic prices will rise, benefiting farmers directly. Companies would buy more from Indian growers, and the rural economy would thrive,” he added.
Aman Dogra, another grower from Narkanda and former hospitality industry professional, echoed similar sentiments:
“Turkey took Pakistan’s side during tensions. Why should we continue importing from them? The government must increase duties or enforce a ban. Our apples can’t compete when foreign fruit is dumped here at Rs 50/kg while our cost of production is around Rs 90/kg.”
With over 10 lakh families in Himachal Pradesh dependent on apple cultivation, the economic stakes are high. The state has around 1 lakh hectares dedicated to apple orchards, contributing over Rs 5,500 crore annually to the economy.
Akshay Thakur, a young grower from Rihana village, added:
“This is not just a farmer’s issue anymore — it’s about national pride and economic sovereignty. We are urging Prime Minister Modi to impose an immediate ban on Turkish and Chinese apples. Let’s protect Indian farmers.”
The demand is gaining traction as more educated, tech-savvy youth return to farming and take on advocacy roles, highlighting the need for fair trade, strategic import policies, and rural empowerment.
They believe the time is ripe for the central government to act, leveraging this moment of geopolitical tension to support Indian agriculture while sending a strong message to unfriendly nations.