Boycott - Turkey, Azerbaijan & others who supported Pakistan against India

Some fruits are favourites as some are considered rich in nutrition and seen as rich man’s food !!  

A young Isaac Newton was sitting beneath an apple tree contemplating the mysterious universe. Suddenly –a fruit fell on his head. While anybody else would have started eating the luscious fruit or would have damned the thing falling upon, the great Scientist understood the force that brought down the apple crashing to the ground; relating it to the moon  falling towards the Earth and the Earth falling toward the sun: Gravity. No Science post this … but on the fruit that fell – ‘Apple’ !!

 

An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (Malus spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (Malus domestica), the most widely grown in the genus, are cultivated worldwide. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Eurasia before they were introduced to North America by European colonists.  There are more than 7,500 cultivars of apples. Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and uses, including cooking, eating raw, and cider or apple juice production.   

The word apple, whose Old English ancestor is æppel, is descended from the Proto-Germanic noun *aplaz, descended in turn from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ébōl !!  For some centuries,  the word also functioned as a generic term for all fruit, including nuts.   

You find Apples in every market of India.  According to Volza's India Import data, India imported 47,763 shipments of Apple during Oct 2023 to Sep 2024 (TTM). These imports were supplied by 3,307 foreign exporters to 2,230 Indian buyers, marking a growth rate of 6% compared to the preceding twelve months. Within this period, in Sep 2024 alone, India imported 3,960 Apple shipments.   

Strangely observed from OEC World data, that India imports and also exports Apples !!!  In 2023, India exported $10.3M of Apples and Pears, making it the 39th largest exporter of Apples and Pears (out of 156) in the world.   In 2023, the main destinations of India's Apples and Pears exports were: Nepal ($4.53M), Bangladesh ($3.67M), Bhutan ($1.54M), Djibouti ($123k), and United Arab Emirates ($72.8k). In 2023, India imported $376M of Apples and Pears, becoming the 5th largest importer of Apples and Pears (out of 220) in the world.  The imports primarily came from: Turkey ($92.8M), Iran ($62.1M), South Africa ($44.5M), Italy ($38M), and Afghanistan ($32.9M). 

India both imports and exports apples due to a combination of factors, including the growing demand for imported varieties, seasonal production, and the desire for international trade. While India is a significant producer of apples, particularly in states like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, there's a substantial demand for specific imported varieties that are not locally available.  

 

The news is – in response to Turkey's support for Pakistan during recent tensions with India, traders in Pune and many other places across the Nation  have decided to stop purchasing Turkish apples. Instead, they are sourcing apples from Himachal, Uttarakhand, Iran, and other regions according to Business today and other media.  Media reports suggest that in  a significant economic repercussion, Turkish apples have virtually vanished from Indian markets. Indian traders, in protest against Turkey’s stance, have shifted their preference to apples from Iran, Washington (USA), and New Zealand.

 

The boycott is expected to have a significant impact on Pune's fruit market, given Turkish apples usually contribute to a seasonal turnover ranging from ₹1,000 crores to ₹ 1,200 crores. An an apple merchant at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market in Pune, confirmed the steep decline in demand for Turkish apples recently.  Citing Operation Dost, he further said: "When there was an earthquake in Turkey, India was the first country to help them, but they supported Pakistan." The move reflects a wider nationalist sentiment and a commitment to support domestic produce over imports.  "Customers are actively avoiding Turkish produce, reinforcing the ban at the retail level," stated another trader. This trend is part of a broader movement against Turkish products, catalysed by Turkey's political stance, which has drawn criticism across India.   

This action reflects a growing economic resistance against countries perceived to be unsupportive of India's national interests.The decision by traders and consumers to reject Turkish imports is both a statement of national pride and a practical response to the geopolitical climate, as the trade dynamics shift towards more supportive regions and local produce. 

Turkey and Azerbaijan drew the ire of social media users in India after coming out in support of Islamabad following Indian Armed Forces’ strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor early May 7. Since then, there has been a clarion call to boycott travel to these nations as Indians question their pro-Pakistan stand.  It is not Apples alone, it boils down to Tourism as well.   There have been calls on social media to boycott all travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan especially as Tourists and holidaying.

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
13.5.2025