Apple prices firm up, growers begin releasing stock from CA stores
Srinagar, Jan 21: Apple farmers in Kashmir have started releasing their produce from controlled atmosphere (CA) cold storages as market prices show signs of recovery after a turbulent season marked by highway closures and heavy rainfall.
Industry representatives said prices this season are relatively stable, offering some relief to growers who had suffered losses last year due to supply disruptions and a sharp price crash.
Apples packed in 10-kg boxes are currently fetching between Rs 800 and Rs 1,200, depending on quality and variety, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Fruit and Vegetable Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA).
“This season, prices are fairly good,” said Izhan Javed, spokesperson for JKPICCA. “So far, around 10 to 15 percent of the total stored produce has been released into the market,” he added.
An estimated 3 to 3.5 million apple crates were stored in CA facilities across Kashmir this year, a higher-than-usual volume. Farmers largely opted for cold storage after repeated closures of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway during August and September last year, the peak marketing period for apples.
The highway, Kashmir’s crucial road link to the rest of the country, remained shut for extended periods due to landslides triggered by heavy rainfall. These disruptions severely affected supply lines, forcing many growers to either sell their produce at distress prices or divert it to cold storages.
“More and more farmers chose to store their apples after heavy rains caused landslides on the highway, leading to a sudden price crash in mandis outside Kashmir,” said Ashiq Hussain, an apple trader from the Imamsahib area of Shopian district. “Cold storages became the only viable option to safeguard their produce,” he added.
Controlled atmosphere technology enables apples to be stored for several months while retaining quality, allowing growers to time their sales in line with market demand.
The apple industry forms the backbone of Kashmir’s rural economy, directly and indirectly supporting an estimated 3.5 million people. Any disruption to transportation or markets has a cascading impact on growers, traders, packers and transporters.
According to industry estimates, repeated closures of the national highway resulted in losses of around Rs 100 crore to the apple industry last year. Traders said trucks loaded with apples remained stranded for days, while prices in major wholesale markets such as Azadpur in Delhi fell sharply due to oversupply and quality deterioration.
Traders noted that increased reliance on CA storage this season has helped farmers stagger their sales and avoid flooding the market, contributing to the current price stability.
