Srinagar: For the first time, a large portion of Kashmir’s apple produce has remained in cold storage units for an extended period due to low demand. Nearly 10 months have passed since the apples were stored, and about 10 percent of them are still in storage, not yet reaching Indian markets.
Growers and traders expressed concern over this unusual situation. Speaking with KNO, they said the next season has already started with plums arriving in stores, and the high-density apple season is expected to begin soon.
They said prices have drastically decreased compared to the rates during the main apple season in October-November 2023, which has caused the stored produce to remain unsold for longer than usual. Typically, the apples would have been cleared by April or May.
“Even C-grade apples fetched better returns during the main season. This is an all-time low rate for produce kept in cold storage units,” they said, adding that the bulk arrival of apples from different countries has affected the local market.
“The increasing presence of South African apples in retail supermarkets and on e-commerce platforms across the country has exacerbated the situation, reducing demand for Kashmiri apples, driving prices down, and causing substantial losses for growers and traders,” the growers explained.
CA unit holders also said they are facing challenges as their stores remain occupied. They said that managing apples and other fruits, such as plums, simultaneously under these circumstances is a hectic job that requires more labour.
Mehraj Ahmad, the manager of one of the cold storage units, said that usually, these stores are free from April until the end of July, but that hasn’t happened this year. “Currently, around 10 percent of the produce is still in cold storage units. We hope for an increase in demand to fetch better returns. However, the market remains very low, and we hope the apples will be cleared soon as their shelf life is around five to six months, while about 10 months have already passed,” he said.
He said the growers have suffered losses, and for the first time, produce has been kept in CA for such a long time due to low demand.
Growers hoped demand would increase, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Approximately 3 lakh metric tons of apples are stored in different CA storages across Kashmir. On average, Kashmir produces over 20 lakh metric tonnes of apples annually, sometimes reaching up to 25 lakh metric tonnes.
According to the 2017 economic survey in J&K, half of Kashmir’s population is directly or indirectly dependent on the apple industry, with over 3.5 lakh hectares under apple cultivation. (KNO)
