After festive sales in outside mandis, Apple prices plunge as demand dips

Shopian, Oct 29: Apple prices have dropped again over the past week, reversing modest gains seen before the Diwali festival. According to growers and traders, prices of the traditional Delicious variety have fallen by nearly 20 per cent in wholesale markets. “An apple carton from Shopian is now being sold between Rs 600 and Rs 800, compared to Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 two weeks ago,” said Mohammad Ashraf Wani, president of the Fruit Mandi Shopian.

He said that produce from other districts is fetching even less--between Rs 400 and Rs 600 a carton.

Shopian district is known for producing high-quality apples with longer shelf life and better market value compared to other growing areas. However, this year’s erratic weather has taken a toll on quality, affecting both growers’ income and market sentiment.

“Rains in August and September followed by dry weather and high temperatures reduced the overall quality of apples,” Wani said. “A significant portion of the produce dropped and affected size which has hurt its market appeal.”

Traders said the demand from outside states, including Delhi and Maharashtra, has weakened after the festive season, further pressuring prices. “During the festival period, there is typically strong demand from northern Indian markets. But once that passes, buying usually slows down,” said a trader.

He, however, said that the Kullu variety continues to see relatively better demand, though most of the produce has been diverted to controlled atmosphere (CA) storages.

According to the trader, Kashmir produces around 50,000 to 55,000 metric tonnes of the Kullu variety. The slump in prices has left growers worried as they continue to face rising costs of labour, transport, and packaging.

“We spent heavily on fertilisers and pesticides this year, but the returns are disappointing,” said Ghulam Nabi, an orchardist from Shopian’s Keller area. He demanded the introduction of Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).

Apple industry is the backbone of the region’s horticulture sector and contributes nearly 8 per cent to Jammu and Kashmir’s gross domestic product and sustains nearly 3.5 million people. The Valley produces around two million metric tonnes of apples annually, accounting for over 70 per cent of the country’s total production.

However, frequent weather fluctuations, poor cold-chain infrastructure, and volatile market prices have made the sector increasingly vulnerable.

“We need modern infrastructure and consistent quality to maintain competitiveness in national and export markets.”, said Ghulam Rasool, a well-heeded apple cultivator from Shopian. He added that the government should roll out farmer- friendly schemes like crop insurance to protect them from weather vagaries.