Jahangeer Ganaie
Pulwama, Apr 5: Apple growers across Kashmir are witnessing a welcome turnaround this season, as demand for this fruit stored in Controlled Atmosphere (CA) units continues to rise, bringing handsome returns to orchardists.
This season, the demand for the apple produce kept in cold storage units was good and many growers started releasing their produce earlier than usual to take advantage of favourable market prices.
Typically, apples from cold storage begin reaching markets by mid-February, but this year the dispatch began as early as January.
The growers said that there has been a noticeable uptick in demand this season. “We’re getting good prices, which has encouraged many of us to clear stock sooner than planned,” said Mehraj Ahmad, an apple grower from south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
According to Mehraj, the standard 10-kg apple boxes are currently selling for Rs 1200, while premium 16-kg boxes are fetching between Rs 1,500 or more excluding charges for cold storage units.
Cold storage units in Pulwama and Shopian were packed to capacity by October last year, with growers pinning hopes on better prices after a tough previous season.
In 2023, about 20% of apples stored in cold units went unsold for over nine months, primarily due to stiff competition from imported apples.
“This year looks more promising as everyone who had kept his produce in cold storage units fetched handsome returns,” the growers said, adding that the demand is expected to increase further as the majority of cold storage chains have been cleared.
They credit the cold storage units for providing the flexibility to wait for the right market conditions. “Cold storages have become essential for our survival,” said Shahid Ahmad, a manager at one such facility. “They allow growers to control supply and avoid distress selling.”
Ahmad also called for the need to upgrade packaging and grading standards to compete with imported apples. “Our apples are the best in taste, but customers often go for imported ones because of better presentation. We must improve our packaging to match international standards,” he said.
Shahid said that around 60 percent of cold storage chains have been cleared already while the rest can be cleared within days as demand is surging with each passing day.
Currently, Kashmir has around 50 CA storage units, mostly located in the SIDCO Lassipora industrial estate. The region produces an average of over 20 lakh metric tonnes of apples annually, with production peaking at 25 lakh metric tonnes in bumper years.
Nearly 3 lakh metric tonnes are stored in cold storage facilities across the valley each year.
