Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jul 21 : After transforming Kashmir’s apple trade along with cherry, cold storage units are now turning into a lifeline for plum growers in the Valley.
Traditionally constrained by the perishability of their produce, farmers are now tapping into markets across India—thanks to the rapidly growing cold chain infrastructure.
Farmers from different parts of Kashmir told the news agency that fruits like plums used to be sold under pressure due to their limited shelf life—often just 2 to 5 days without refrigeration. This resulted in significant post-harvest losses and forced distress sales at throwaway prices.
“Earlier, we had to dispose of plums within a couple of days, sometimes at very low rates. But this year, cold storage has been a game-changer,” said Javid Ahmad, a plum grower from Shopian. “We have been able to store our fruit longer and supply it gradually to markets like Delhi, Mumbai and even Bengaluru. Most of my produce is sold already, and the rest is safely stored.”
“For the first time, I stored my plums in cold storage. The returns have improved and we are seeing minimal wastage,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a plum grower.
Growers said that rates are almost double as compared to last year and cold storage units are helping to send produce to markets as per demand.
Officials said that the move is part of a broader strategy to enhance Kashmir’s fruit supply chain. “Short shelf life has been the biggest hurdle for growers of soft fruits like cherries and plums. Cold storage helps overcome that and opens up new market opportunities,” said an official of the horticulture department.
Earlier, plums would rot before reaching distant cities. Now, we can ensure quality and freshness even when sending them as far as Kolkata,” said Riyaz Dar, a fruit exporter from Srinagar. “The market has opened up—the returns are higher and the reputation of Kashmiri produce is growing.”
The Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department is actively working on strengthening the cold storage network across the Valley under various central schemes. Experts believe this infrastructural support could redefine the dynamics of Kashmir’s horticulture sector.
“If this trend continues, Kashmir can go beyond apples and emerge as a significant supplier of cherries and plums to the rest of India,” they said.
With the success of this season, growers and traders are hopeful that the Valley’s perishable fruit sector is headed toward a more profitable and sustainable future.
Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union told KNO that currently the demand for plums is much better and farmers are getting good returns and its credit goes to cold storage units as well
