How Turkey-quake spurred demand for Kashmir apples in Indian markets

Srinagar: Fruit growers have heaved a sigh of relief as demand for Kashmir apples has shot by more than 40 percent in different markets across the country.

Industry honchos said the earthquake in Turkey has hit the imports which have spurred the demand for indigenous Kashmir apples.

As per the growers, the rates as well as the demand for the apple has increased considerably for the last one month.

Fruit stored in cold storage is being currently shipped to various markets on a war footing basis.

“Usually, we ship stored apples in April and May. Currently, there is a good demand for apples and rates are comparatively better. Therefore, fruits stored in cold storages are being shipped,” said Mohammad Akbar Dar, a fruit grower from Baramulla.

President Kashmir Fruit Growers and Dealers Association Bashir Ahmad Basheer told The Kashmir Monitor that the rates of apples have almost doubled in the last one month.

“From September to November, an apple box weighing 16 kilograms would sell at Rs 500. Right now, the rates have gone up to Rs 1200 and above for a 10-kilogram apple box,” he said.

Bashir said the fruit stored in cold storage is being sent to New Delhi, UP, Punjab, Mumbai, and other markets. “Only five percent of the apple is stored at warehouses. The rest of the produce is stored in cold stores. For the next month, there will be a good flow of apples from Kashmir to these mandis,” he said.

Bashir said the flow of apple shipment from Iran and Turkey has been halted, which subsequently increased rates for Kashmir apple.

“Shipment from both these countries have stopped. They have a very cheaper variety of apples compared to ours. It has been affecting Kashmir’s apples,” he said.

Pertinently, this winter, the apple industry has witnessed heavy losses as rates had gone down by more than 50 percent.

The administration cited the bumper crop of apples from Kashmir as the prime reason behind the low rates.

As per official estimates, additional 2 lakh metric tonnes of fruit were produced in Kashmir last year. Annually 20 to 21 lakh metric tonnes of apples are produced in Kashmir. This year favorable weather conditions, especially timely rainfall resulted in a bumper crop.