Fruit traders in Prayagraj decided to boycott Turkish apples

PRAYAGRAJ: Fruit traders based in Prayagraj have collectively decided to boycott Turkish apples, following the country’s open support for Pakistan during the recent military conflict with India.

It was not immediately known how much apple quantity are imported to India from Turkey. Similarly, traders in various Indian cities have unanimously decided to boycott Turkish products, including apples, other fruits and other products like marble stone.

A Prayagraj-based apple trader, Saurabh, told ANI, “…After the conflict, we have stopped selling Apples from Turkey. Customers who used to buy those apples have asked us to provide apples from countries other than Turkey. Neither are customers demanding Turkish apples, nor are we selling them.”

Another apple trader from Prayagraj, Vinod, said, “Three to four varieties of fruits used to be imported from Turkey. Now all traders and customers have completely boycotted them. If the customers get to know that a fruit has come in from Turkey, they are refusing to buy them. The reason is that Turkey supported Pakistan during the conflict. We have always supported Turkey, but they betrayed us.”

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh farmers had also demanded a ban on Turkish apple imports, urging the central government to impose as high as 100 per cent duties on them. Himachal is a key grower of apples.

In a strong retaliatory move against Turkey and Azerbaijan’s open support to Pakistan, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) announced a complete boycott of trade with these two countries this week.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have rallied behind Pakistan despite its support for cross-border terrorism against India and its aggression after the Indian Armed Forces struck nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Azerbaijan, in its statement on India-Pakistan tensions, has echoed the Pakistani line. Turkey expressed its solidarity with Pakistan and supported Islamabad’s proposal for an international investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack. Turkey has also supplied military weapons to Pakistan.

Marble traders based in Udaipur, a key hub for marble in Rajasthan, have urged the central government to ban imports from Turkey, a country whose drones were found to be used by the Pakistani side in the recent conflict.

Travel operators have also urged people to avoid non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Meawhile, varsities like Jamia Millia Islamia University and Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) have suspended all Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Turkish educational institutions, amid calls across the country to boycott Turkey over its vocal support for Pakistan during the recent conflict.

The central government has revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi NAS Airport Services, citing national security concerns. (ANI)