Demand for Kashmir apple rises

Demand for Kashmir apple rises Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 22
Due to a shortfall in the apple production in Himachal Pradesh this season, the apple from Kashmir is much in demand across the country. Officials in the state Horticulture Department told The Tribune that unfavourable weather conditions this season proved beneficial to the apple growers of the state.
They said though untimely rain this year decreased the apple production all over the country, including Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, but the overall demand for the fruit increased.
“The overall demand for apple has increased, but its production has been much less. Usually, there is a huge demand for apple from Himachal Pradesh, but due to a fall in the production in the neighbouring state our produce is fetching a good price and we are also receiving bulk orders from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and even Himachal Pradesh,” said, Mohammad Javed Khan, Director, Horticulture, Planning and Marketing.
He said, “Earlier we used to sell most of our produce at the Azadpur market in Delhi. So far, this season, we have sent nearly 35,000 truckloads of apple to other states and covered about 114 cities this year. A carton of 16 kg of apple, which we sold at Rs 230 to Rs 250 last year, was now fetching around Rs 500 to Rs 550,” said Javed Khan. He added, “We have exported apple to Bangladesh and Nepal too.”
Javed Khan said though the apple production was less in the state the fruit growers were earning huge profits. “We have also sent the ‘C’ grade fruit to the juice manufacturing units in Punjab. The entire produce will be sold and the fruit growers will have nothing to worry,” he added. He said the apple season would last till December-January.