Apple Cart Turns: Kashmir Expects Boom in Turkish Fruit Boycott

On a bright May morning in Kashmir’s Shopian district, orchardist Bashir Ahmad Dar moves steadily through rows of apple trees, their blossoms catching the pale light. After years of uncertainty, he looks upbeat about the season. “This year,” he says, brushing pollen from a cluster of buds, “might be different.” That hope is shared across Kashmir’s orchards and marketplaces. Following Ankara’s vocal support of Islamabad in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, where 25 tourists were killed, a wave of public and commercial backlash has swept across India. While the geopolitical fallout has triggered diplomatic and academic rifts, it is in India’s fruit mandis that one of the most telling shifts is taking place. And at the center of that shift is an unexpected target: Turkish apples. Once the dominant foreign apple in Indian markets, Turkish fruit is now facing spontaneous boycotts from Prayagraj to Pune. The boycott, though unofficial, has had a visible impact. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has formally urged a commercial freeze on both Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Himachal Pradesh government, facing pressure from its own orchardists, plans to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a formal ban. J&K politicians, including Vivek Bali, state president of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, have seized on the sentiment. “This is an opportunity to protect our local industry,” he said. “The apple growers of Kashmir have waited too long for a fair market.” In major mandis from Delhi to Mumbai, retailers have already started pulling Turkish apples from shelves. Importers report a sharp drop in demand. Meanwhile, orders for Kashmiri apples have picked up, even in the off-season. “Trade is rarely just about numbers,” says Rohan Ursal, a fruit trader in Pune. “It’s also about emotion. And right now, the country wants to support its own.” Kashmir, which contributes nearly three-fourths of India’s total apple production, has long seen its growers squeezed by foreign competition. Turkish apples, driven by lower labour costs and streamlined logistics, frequently arrive during peak Indian harvest months, undercutting prices and often leaving local produce to wither in storage. In fiscal 2023–24, Turkey accounted for 23% of all apple imports into India, shipping more than 129,000 metric tons in that year alone.

Growers like Dar have long felt the sting. “We watched helplessly as buyers walked past our produce,” he says. “They went straight to the cheaper, shinier imports.” Now, with Turkish apples potentially out of the picture, Kashmir’s growers may finally reclaim a slice of their own market. The shift comes not only at a moment of political volatility but also on the heels of a surprisingly favorable growing season. Mild spring weather and reduced pest pressure have led to one of the best flowering seasons in recent memory, according to officials in the Jammu and Kashmir horticulture department. “If demand pivots to Kashmiri apples and prices hold steady, the impact could be historic,” said one senior horticulture official. “It’s not often that a geopolitical rift translates into a rural economic lifeline.” The resonance of this moment is particularly strong in regions like Sopore — home to Asia’s second-largest fruit market. Fayaz Malik, president of the Sopore Fruit Growers Association, points to infrastructure improvements as another crucial factor. “Road connectivity and streamlined transport have changed the game,” he says. “For the first time, our apples are reaching markets on time, and at better prices.” From January 2024 to January 2025, Kashmir exported 1,900 metric tons of apples, generating over Rs 12,000 crore in revenue. The Sopore mandi alone accounted for nearly half of that, with dispatches worth Rs 6,000 crore. And prices are rising. Grade-A apples in Sopore are now selling for Rs 1,000–1,100 per 15 kg box — nearly double the rate from the previous year. “We used to chase buyers,” recalls another grower, Mohammad Shafi. “Now, they’re calling us.” Yet, the gains may be fragile. While Turkish apples dominate winter markets, their absence will not be felt until the October–January cycle.

In the meantime, importers may shift their gaze to countries like Poland, Iran, or Italy, each of which has already begun increasing its shipments to India. In 2023–24, India’s apple imports were diversified: Iran accounted for 21%, Afghanistan for 10%, Italy 8%, and Poland 7%. The potential absence of Turkish supply creates a void, but whether Kashmir’s growers can fully fill that space remains uncertain. “Cold storage capacity is still limited,” said an agricultural economist at Kashmir University. “Without better infrastructure, some of the gains could rot away before they reach the market.” At the same time, anger on the ground is translating into action. The Himalayan Apple Growers Society lately called on Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to impose a 100% duty on Turkish apples and formally ban their import. “We’re not asking for protectionism,” said a society representative. “We just want a fair shot.” One area where long-term hope lies is in Kashmir’s growing shift to high-density plantations — a modernized system where apple trees are planted more closely, produce earlier, and yield higher-quality fruit. Since its introduction in 2016, the scheme has seen significant adoption, with high-density cultivation reaching over 800 hectares by 2025. Farmers like Mohammad Ayoub say the transformation has been dramatic. “My earnings have multiplied six times since I switched,” he says. “It requires investment, yes, but it’s the future.” Still, the road ahead is fraught. For all the current optimism, growers remain wary of the market’s volatility. With global apple giants poised to step in and uncertain government policy on imports, this “rare alignment,” as many call it, may not last. “Even if this boycott moment only lasts one season,” says orchardist Shafi from Sopore, “it’s still a chance. A chance to prove that our apples, grown with care in this soil, in this climate, deserve a place on the national plate.” For now, in the shade of Shopian’s flowering trees, growers like Bashir Ahmad Dar are planning ahead. They’re securing storage slots, testing soil nutrients, and sharpening tools. The bloom is promising, the market is listening, and for once, the wind seems to be blowing their way.