Pulwama: After a lengthy ten-month wait, apples stored in cold storage units across Kashmir have finally been sold due to a recent surge in demand.
According to growers and traders who spoke with the Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the new season has begun with plums and peaches now being stored. However, apples from the previous season had remained unsold until recently.
The drop in apple prices during the main harvest season in October-November 2023 led to a backlog of unsold apples. Usually, these apples would have cleared from storage by April or May.
“Typically, apples would have been cleared from cold storage units by April or May, but this year’s delayed clearance was due to the low demand for apples. Even C-grade apples fetched better returns during the main season,” said a grower. “This is an all-time low rate for produce kept in cold storage units.”
An influx of South African apples in retail supermarkets and on e-commerce platforms further decreased demand for Kashmiri apples, pushing prices down and causing significant losses for local growers and traders.
Recently, however, apple prices have surged, with apple boxes that sold for Rs 600-700 during the main season now fetching Rs 1200-1500, thanks to increased demand.
Growers expressed relief as this unexpected market boost has allowed them to clear their stock. This year marked the first time a significant portion of Kashmir’s apple produce remained in cold storage for such an extended period.
Kashmir’s cold storage facilities house approximately 3 lakh metric tons of apples. On average, the region produces over 20 lakh metric tonnes annually, with some years 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)
