Apples from Himachal arrive in city,at lower prices this year

The arrival of the local apples started a week ago. Before that,there were imported apples in the mandis,along with some apples from Shimla of smaller size which had not even attained the the colour of the season.

The apples were imported from China and New Zealand and were costing Rs 150-200 per kg.

Subhash Khanna,owner of the Shimla Kinnaur Fruit Agency in the grain market at Sector 26 said,“Last year,the prices of the apples were very high. They used to range from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 per box,while the supply was also not enough. However,this year,apples have made an early appearance in the mandis with comparatively low rates and adequate supply from the state. The best part is that the increasing demand for the apples has not affected their prices much.”

The secretary of the grain market at Sector 26,GR Pillai said that the early appearance of the local apples in the mandis is mainly because of the rains in the apple belt in the upper region that had set in even before the monsoons.

“Among the popular varieties of Kinnauri apples are Royal,Red Golden,Red June,Red Delicious,Tight-man and Scarlet Spur,ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,400 for a crate,which contains 20 kg of apples. Royal Apple is the most expensive variety but this year,as the rates have lowered,it costs around 60-70 per kg,” added Khanna.

“The quantity of apples we are receiving daily is increasing day by day – it started with 300 boxes a day,whereas today we have received 5,000 boxes of apples. All the varieties have started coming,from extra small,medium to extra large. As the quantity will keep increasing,the prices will also come down simultaneously,” added Pillai.

One of the fruit vendors at the grain market in Sector 26 said that only the big shops in the market have local apples,and that everyone has not yet received those apples.

The vendor added,“I am still selling the old stock of imported apples costing Rs 180 per kg.”