Private group lowers apple price by 30%

As Eid festivities and floods in central India have brought down price of apples, Adani Group running a chain of controlled atmospheric stores (CAS) in Himachal Pradesh announced new rates which are 30% lower to last year.

As Eid festivities and floods in central India have brought down price of apples, Adani Group running a chain of controlled atmospheric stores (CAS) in Himachal Pradesh announced new rates which are 30% lower to last year.

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Adani Agri Fresh Limited (AAFL), part of the Adani Group, has set a price Rs 50 per kg that was Rs 20 less than that of previous year.

Citing bitter market experience of last year, AAFL business head A Srinivasa Ramanujam said market was hampered for stored apple due to the import of fresh apple from Iran when it is off season in India.

To woo growers in the state, the company has launched a lucky draw scheme with a car as the first prize. "To provide benefit to growers, the company launched a lucky draw scheme and nearly 170 prizes would be given under the scheme across the all three units of the AAFL," Ramanujam said, adding that draw coupon would be given to only those farmers who would sell more than 900-kg apple.

The AAFL started 'own your crate scheme; in which one-sided freight would be paid by the company.

To keep growers updated with market, the AAFL will send messages on the SMS about rates. The payment would be deposited online instead of issuing checques, he said.

He further said the AAFL had upgraded all three CAS. The AAFL has storage capacity of 18,000 metric tonne with 6,000 metric tonne each.

"Handling capacity per day is increased to 720 tonne while it was 540 tonne before," Ramanujam said, adding that some new machines were imported in all three units.

Underlining the target for this year, he said the AAFL would purchase 22,000 metric tonne of apple against its capacity of 18,000 metric tonne. "Out of 22,000 metric tonne, 18,000 will be stored in all three units of Himachal. The rest of apples will be stored outside the state by hiring storage space," he added.

Apple traders from outside the state have gone to celebrate Eid, affecting the market and apple price has seen a slump.

Flood in central India has hit apple transportation. Due to floods, hundreds of trucks loaded with apple boxes were stalled mid-way.