Himachal farmers demand ban on Turkish apple imports, urge centre to impose 100% duty

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 15 (ANI): Following Turkey's open support for Pakistan amid recent tensions between India and its neighbour, young apple growers in Himachal Pradesh are demanding an immediate ban on the import of apples from Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and China.
They called on the central government to impose a complete ban or at least raise import duties above 100% on apples from about 44 foreign countries, particularly Turkey.
Speaking to ANI, Ankit Bramta, a young apple grower from Jubbal in Shimla district, who holds an MBA and was formerly a software engineer, said, "This is the right moment to stop Turkish apples from entering India. After working in the corporate world, I switched to apple farming about five years ago. Agriculture and horticulture have a future, unlike other sectors that will soon be disrupted by artificial intelligence. AI may assist, but human labour will always be essential here. I want more youth to return to farming. Given Turkey's support to Pakistan during tensions with India over Kashmir, it is clear Turkey is not our friend."
Ankit Bramta also said India imports around 80 lakh apple boxes annually from Turkey alone, out of a total trade volume of around USD 10 billion, including the apple fruit crop. A similar volume comes from Iran too, especially between October and April, which clashes with our high-altitude apple harvest. This causes intense price competition.

"India requires about 15 crore apple boxes a year, and we have three states, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal, and Uttarakhand, that produce 12 crore. The remaining 3 crore are imported, 60% of which come from Iran and Turkey," said Bramta.
"If Turkey's 30% import share is banned, domestic prices will rise, benefiting farmers directly. Companies would buy more from Indian farmers. If imports drop, companies will buy more from us, improve infrastructure, and pass on the profit to us farmers," he added.
Farmers also argued that such imports undermine Indian apple farmers, especially when domestic produce is struggling to compete with cheaper foreign fruit flooding Indian markets.
The demand, which has gained momentum across Shimla district's apple belt, is backed by educated youth who have left corporate careers to return to farming.
Aman Dogra, another young apple grower from Narkanda who left the hospitality industry three years ago to return to his family orchards, said that import Duties Must Be Increased to protect Indian Farmers.
"There are better opportunities in apple farming for today's youth. Turkey took Pakistan's side during recent tensions. Why should we keep importing from such countries? Our market is flooded with foreign apples from Iran, Turkey, and China. At the very least, the government should increase import duties so that Indian farmers are not undercut." Said Dogra.
"Around 10 lakh families in Himachal depend solely on the apple economy. Earlier, local traders and commission agents bought apples with limited knowledge and often without fair pricing," he added.
The young farmers are demanding that the Indian Prime Minister and the union government hammer the iron while it's hot by banning imports from Turkey and China.
Akshay Thakur, a young orchardist from Rihana village near Shimla, echoed similar sentiments and said the time is ripe for India to strike.
"Given Turkey and China's stance during Indo-Pak tensions, this is the right time to impose a complete ban on imports from these two countries and increase import duties. Turkish apples are being sold in India at Rs 50 per kg, while our cost of production is around Rs 90 per kg. We can't compete with that," he said.
"A farmer invests the entire year in growing apples. When he is uncertain about getting paid, it impacts everything. With companies, we're assured of proper rates and timely payments. That's why we are urging Prime Minister Modi to ban Turkish imports immediately. This is the right moment to act. If this happens, farmers, customers, and the economy will all benefit," he said.
Himachal Pradesh has around 11 lakh hectares of cultivable land, of which 2 lakh hectares are under fruit orchards, and 1 lakh hectares are dedicated solely to apple cultivation, making up 50% of the fruit-growing area.
The state produces around 5.5 lakh metric tons of apples annually, contributing over Rs5,500 crore to the state economy.
Farmers argue that protecting this vital economic sector is essential not only for their livelihoods but also for the broader agenda of food security and rural development.
With increasing voices from educated, tech-savvy youth like Ankit Bramta, Aman Dogra, and Akshay Thakur, the call to ban foreign apple imports, particularly from Turkey, is no longer just about economics; it is about national interest, market fairness, and rural empowerment. (ANI)