Apple growers in Kashmir have sold almost their entire stock of last season’s apples stored in Controlled Atmosphere (CA) facilities, but returns remained average to low as a glut in wholesale markets and poor fruit quality prevented prices from rising as expected.
Last season, growers diverted lakhs of tonnes of apples to CA storage facilities across the Valley, hoping to secure better prices by releasing the produce gradually during the lean marketing period. However, the strategy yielded limited gains as markets continued to witness heavy arrivals and subdued demand.
In April, apples from CA storages were sold in markets outside Jammu and Kashmir at around Rs 75-80 per kg. While growers had expected prices to firm up in the following months as fresh arrivals declined, rates remained largely stagnant, leaving many disappointed with the returns.
Izhan Javed, Chief Executive Officer of Fruit Master and spokesperson for the Jammu and Kashmir Private Integrated Controlled Atmosphere Association (JKPICCA), said around five lakh metric tonnes of apples were stored in CA facilities across Kashmir last season.
“Nearly 95 per cent of the stored stock has been sold, with only about five per cent remaining,” Javed said. “Prices remained average throughout the season as markets continued to receive large quantities of apples, limiting any significant increase in rates.”
Last year’s prolonged rains and erratic weather conditions adversely affected the crop. Fearing further losses due to fruit drop and deteriorating quality, many growers harvested their orchards earlier than usual and shifted the produce to CA storages in the hope of obtaining better prices later in the season.
However, the expected price advantage did not materialise.
Mohammad Ashraf Wani, president of the Fruit Mandi Shopian, said the relatively poor quality of apples also weighed on market prices.
“A considerable portion of the crop was affected by adverse weather, which impacted quality. Buyers were selective, and better prices were available only for premium-grade fruit,” he said.
Wani added that high production and continued availability of apples in wholesale markets also kept prices under pressure throughout the marketing season.
Tariq Ahmad, an apple farmer said that CA storage can only preserve the fruit; it cannot create demand,” Ahmad said.
“When production is high and markets are flooded with apples, prices inevitably come under pressure. Unless market arrivals are balanced and demand improves, growers cannot expect substantial gains from storing their produce”, he added.
While the technology helps preserve fruit quality and extends the marketing window, growers say it cannot guarantee higher returns unless supported by favourable market conditions and balanced supply.
The horticulture sector in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed significant expansion over the past four decades, with the area under fruit cultivation increasing from 1.31 lakh hectares in 1980 to 3.44 lakh hectares in 2022, while production has risen more than fivefold—from 5.6 lakh tonnes to 27.22 lakh tonnes.
These figures, outlined in the government’s Niti Aayog’s report on “Roadmap for Horticulture Development in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir @ 2047,” underscore the sector’s growing importance and set the stage for future policy direction to scale up productivity, improve infrastructure, and enhance export competitiveness.
Horticulture has steadily evolved into one of the most critical pillars of the Union Territory’s economy. With an estimated annual turnover of Rs10,000 crore, the sector contributes around 6–7 percent to the Gross Domestic Product and provides livelihood support to nearly 3.5 million people, directly or indirectly. This includes orchard owners, farm labourers, transporters, traders, and those engaged in packaging, processing, and export-related activities.
