Growers said apples sold in April for around ₹70-75 rupees a kg, far below what they had expected after paying months of storage charges
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Apple growers in Kashmir are questioning whether controlled atmosphere (CA) storage remains a financially viable option after fruit stored from last year’s harvest fetched lower-than-expected prices, leaving many unable to recover rising production and storage costs.Nearly all apples stored in CA facilities during the 2025 harvest season have now been marketed. Although the technology enables growers to delay sales beyond the peak harvest months, farmers said the returns this year failed to justify the additional expenses.About 500,000 tonnes of apples were stored in CA facilities across Kashmir, which produces between 20 and 22 lakh tonnes of apples and accounts for more than 75 per cent of India’s total apple productionSoaring costsFarmers said storage charges have risen to between ₹500 and 550 per crate, adding to already high expenditure on labour, fertilizers, pesticides and transportation.“We store apples expecting better prices during the lean season, but this year that did not happen,” said Mohammad Ashraf, an apple grower and president of a Fruit Mandi Shopian. “Many farmers could not even recoup their input costs.”Ashraf blamed the poor returns partly on what he described as lapses in the operation of some CA facilities.“Controlled atmosphere storage follows scientific protocols, but these are not being implemented properly everywhere,” he said. “Storage chambers should be thoroughly prepared before fruit is loaded, leakages must be checked, apples should be pre-cooled, and a seamless power supply has to be maintained. If these procedures are ignored, fruit quality deteriorates during storage.”‘Losing market’According to growers, apples that entered storage in good condition lost firmness and appearance in some facilities, reducing their value in the market.A CA storage operator rejected the criticism, saying the lower prices reflected poor-quality fruit and market conditions rather than shortcomings in storage.“The fruit that came to us was not of the best quality in many cases,” the operator said. “There was also an oversupply in the market, which kept prices under pressure despite delayed marketing.”Growers said apples sold in April for around ₹70-75 rupees a kg, far below what they had expected after paying months of storage charges.The disappointing season has triggered fresh debate over the economics of CA storage, which has expanded rapidly across Kashmir over the past decade as growers sought to avoid distress sales immediately after harvest.Despite the losses, growers say CA storage remains indispensable for the region’s apple industry.“If there were no CA facilities, the entire crop would enter the market between October and February, leading to a glut and an even sharper fall in prices,” Ashraf said. “The solution is not fewer CA stores but better management. Facilities must strictly follow standard operating procedures so that fruit quality is preserved and farmers receive the prices they deserve”, he added.Published on July 1, 2026
