Himachal farmers demand ban on apple imports from Turkey, meet Minister Piyush Goyal
Apple growers from Himachal Pradesh have demanded an immediate and complete ban on the import of apples from Turkey, after the Muslim country reportedly provided military assistance to Pakistan in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Traders at Azadpur Mandi in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune also expressed their solidarity towards the demand for a ban on Turkish apples' import.
A delegation of apple growers, under the banner of the Himalayan Apple Growers Society (HAGS), met Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Saturday to press for the ban and submitted a memorandum expressing grave concern over the rapidly increasing import of subsidised apples from Turkey, which they said is crippling the domestic horticulture economy.
'These cheap imports are undercutting Indian growers and pushing orchardists into deep financial losses. Many are struggling to even recover the cost of production,' Rajesh Dhanta, HAGS general secretary, said.
The delegation underscored that continuing trade with Turkey — a known ally of Pakistan — was not only crippling India's economicy but also a matter of national security. 'It is unacceptable for India to import produce from a country that supports a regime responsible for cross-border terrorism,' the memorandum read.
The growers emphasised that apples are not just a commercial crop but the economic backbone of hill states like Himachal Pradesh, sustaining the livelihoods of millions of farmers.
The delegation put forth three major demands, including a total ban on apple imports from Turkey; an increase in the Minimum Import Price (MIP) for apples from all countries, and strict enforcement of quality and phytosanitary standards to prevent the entry of diseases and pests through imported apples.
Union Minister Goyal assured the delegation that their concerns would be taken seriously and that appropriate action would follow.
Echoing the growers' demand, Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh and AICC spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore have also called for a complete halt to Turkish apple imports. 'We will continue to raise this issue until the government takes decisive action,' said Rajesh Dhanta, general secretary and media head of HAGS.
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