South Kashmir’s deep freeze helps farmers protect non-CA stored apples

Shopian, Nov 26: As biting cold tightens its grip over the twin south Kashmir districts of Shopian and Pulwama, local apple growers are drawing unexpected relief from sub-zero temperatures.

The intense cold has reduced the risk of spoilage for non-controlled-atmosphere (non-CA) stored apple produce, giving farmers who rely on traditional storage methods a rare advantage. For years, farmers, who are unable to afford high-end CA storage facilities, have had to battle rot, over ripening, and heavy losses when storing apples at home or in makeshift sheds. But this winter, with night temperatures dipping to nearly minus 5°C in parts of Shopian and Pulwama, growers say the natural cold is working as an efficient preservative.

“This is one of the coldest starts to winter in recent years, and for farmers like us who keep apples at home, it is actually helpful,” said Tariq Ahmad Mir, an orchardist from Shopian.

“The produce stays firm and fresh. We don’t have to worry about spoilage the way we normally do.”

This year saw an unusual rush to CA storage facilities in south Kashmir. Cold stores were filled well ahead of schedule—some as early as mid-August—after apple prices slumped sharply and frequent closures of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway disrupted market access. “Farmers had no option. Prices crashed when the harvest began, and the highway remained shut for days. Many growers stored their crop early in CA units hoping for better rates later,” Mir said.

However, not everyone managed to secure a CA slot. Thousands of small and marginal growers, particularly in remote belts of Pulwama, Shopian, Zainapora, Keller, Rajpora, and Litter, continue to rely on traditional storage. For them, December’s deep freeze has come as a blessing. Notably, Kashmir has currently the CA storage capacity of nearly 4 lakh metric tonnes while the annual production is nearly 20-22 lakh metric tonnes. Growers now hope that the cold spell holds and that market prices stabilise as demand picks up after New Year. “If rates rise even moderately and our produce remains intact because of this cold, it will be a big relief,” said Muzafar Ahmad, a farmer from Pulwama.