Pune traders boycott Turkish apples amid rising tensions

Days after a group of fruit traders in Pune decided to stop importing apples from Turkiye to protest against that country's open support to Pakistan, a trader on Thursday claimed to have received a threatening voice message from Pakistan.

Suyog Zende, a trader at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee, commonly known as Marketyard, and some others had said they will not deal in apples from Turkiye after that country criticised India's recent strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

"Around 9 this morning, I started getting calls on my phone but did not pick up the phone. Later I received a voice note message. The message contained slurs for India and said we can not do any harm to Pakistan or Turkiye. I sent a voice note responding to the threats," he told reporters.

Traders are planning to meet the Pune police commissioner in this regard, said Zende.

As a protest, traders at Marketyard on Thursday threw apples imported from Turkiye on the road.

According to Zende, traders in Pune import apples, litchi, plums, cherries, and dried fruits from Turkiye. The import of apples alone is to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore, he had said earlier.