Traders at Vashi APMC market boycott Turkish apples
Navi Mumbai: Traders at the wholesale APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee) market in Vashi have decided to boycott Turkish apples and other fruits in light of the support extended by Turkey to Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan conflict. Retailers too are avoiding apples imported from Turkey while some traders are reportedly selling their existing stock claiming the apples are imported from South Africa.
Every year, the APMC market receives large quantities of Turkish apples, which are famed for their quality and sweetness and priced at around ₹140 per kilogram, compared to ₹90-120 per kilo for apples from other regions. The apples start arriving in October and continue till the middle of the year, said former APMC director (fruit) Sanjay Pansare.
Vijay Bhende, a fruit trader at the APMC market, said India imported around 1.18 million tonnes of Turkish apples this season, valued at over ₹1,000 crore. Nearly 1,000 containers of Turkish apples were consumed in Mumbai alone, said Pansare.
'Imports of Turkish apples had surged in recent years,' said Pansare. 'But Turkey's siding with Pakistan has hurt us badly. We will not do any business with them henceforth.'
The current season for Turkish apples was coming to an end and only a limited quantity was still left in the market, he said.
'New orders for Turkish apples are placed June onwards, by traders who often go to Turkey to strike deals. But we have decided that no orders will be placed for Turkish apples, cherries and other fruits this year,' he said.
Traders at the APMC market concurred that they had collectively decided to stop trading in Turkish apples and other fruits.
'We cannot be doing business with a country that is opposed to India,' Bhende told Hindustan Times. 'We will import more apples from South Africa, United States and Iran, which are also popular, to meet the shortfall in supply.'
Another trader said they were trying to sell their existing stock of Turkish apples claiming the fruits were imported from South Africa.
'But the ploy does not work in all cases,' the trader said. 'Regular retailers can identify Turkish apples, which are sweeter than the South African ones. So we have no option but to lower the price of Turkish apples and sell them along with apples imported from other countries.'
The mood among retailers was similar. Rizwan Shaikh, a retailer from Mumbai, said though the demand for vibrant red Turkish apples had been growing in recent years, things changed following the conflict with Pakistan.
'Turkish apples are crisp and sweet and align with the taste preferences of Indians. But since Turkey backed Pakistan during the recent conflict, there is a need to send out a strong message. Hitting them financially is the way to do it,' said Shaikh.
Even consumers are no more interested in buying apples imported from Turkey, the retailer said. 'People are now asking us if the apples we are selling are imported from Turkey,' he said.
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