Jahangeer Ganaie
Pulwama, Jun 20: In a significant turnaround from last year’s sluggish market, Controlled Atmosphere (CA) cold storage units in Kashmir are now almost empty, with over 99% of stored apples already sold—well on time. Thanks to strong early-season demand and timely dispatches, the growers have managed to reap decent profits despite a modest dip in prices.
The growers and industry stakeholders say the early clearance of cold storage stock reflects not just better market conditions but also a maturing understanding among growers of when and how to sell.
“Last year, cold storage units weren’t cleared for nearly 10 months. This time, everything has moved at a good speed,” said Mehraj Ahmad, a manager at a CA unit in Lassipora. “We now have only about 1% of the stock left, which too will be cleared in the next few days.”
In 2024, about 20% of the apples stored in these facilities remained unsold for over 10 months due to competition from cheaper imported apples and market saturation.
“Demand picked up from January itself much before the scheduled time,” said Javed Ahmad, an apple grower from Shopian. “Even though rates dipped by around Rs 200 per box compared to peak prices at one stage but at the end stage rates went very high and growers reaped good returns this year.
The ability to sell at will rather than in distress has been a game-changer, Mehraj emphasized. “Cold storage has empowered growers. They’re no longer at the mercy of the market’s worst days. This flexibility is invaluable.”
Kashmir has around 50 CA storage units, primarily in the SIDCO Lassipora industrial estate, with a combined capacity of storing nearly 3 lakh metric tonnes of apples. Given the Valley’s annual apple production of over 20 lakh metric tonnes, these facilities play a crucial role in post-harvest management, price stabilization, and farmer income.
Growers also credit better market coordination and buyer confidence for this year’s positive outcomes.
“We managed to sell our produce earlier, and that made a big difference,” said Abdul Rashid, another grower. “Last year, some of us had to wait months with no buyers. This year, most sold their stock before April.”
However, stakeholders stress that more work remains. “We need to improve our grading and packaging,” Mehraj said.
“Imported apples still dominate some markets due to their polished presentation, even though our produce is superior in taste. We can’t ignore their appearance in this competitive landscape.”
“We now have better control over our product, over when and how we sell. That’s the biggest success cold storage has brought us,” Mehraj said.
He said that more cold storage units are coming up and that will give more choice to people of Kashmir to keep more produce in cold storage units and sell them as per demand.
