Major improvements to the cold chain supply of Indian apples are being hailed as ‘the future for the fresh produce sector’ by Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) managing director Jagdish Chander Sharma, who tells www.freshfruitportal.com about an ongoing project to build and operate compressed atmospheric storehouses in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

India's apple farmers and their supply chain will be given an enormous boost if plans to operate new cold storehouses fully materialize.

Through the government-backed organization HPMC, atmospheric storehouses that can store produce for up to seven months may become a reality.

More private investors have been sought to take full advantage of the program which could see apple production increase from the 600,000-700,000 metric tons (MT) currently cultivated in the state, while ensuring farmers get maximum prices year-round by storing produce to sell under better market conditions.

"Through private sector investment a lot of these atmospheric storehouses are coming through in Himachal Pradesh, but we would like to see as many as possible for the state because it will massively improve the Indian apple sector," Sharma tells www.freshfruitportal.com.

"Apples can be stored in very good conditions that improve the longevity and consequent shelf life of the produce, and keep the fruit in an excellent condition. Because of that, farmers can store their apples and they do not have to sell them all at once."

India is striving to make food supply chains more efficient, find ways to stamp out waste, and maximize returns for farming communities. All of these ideas are backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who pledges continual investment in the agricultural industry as a whole.

"During the season in the summer months when apple production starts in farmers' orchards suddenly there is a glut situation in the Indian market and that leads to the crashing of prices. Subsequently farmers end up getting very low prices for their produce, a very disappointing fact and something that harms their livelihood and the overall economy of the apple sector.

"However if we have more atmospheric cold houses where we can store apples then the supply to the market can be better controlled and later on when the good season comes they (farmers) can sell at a much better price.

"The possibilities are enormous because we have very small capacity in Himachal but the potential to grow so much more and through projects like this one, there is now a real possibility that apple production can greatly increase."

Over the next five to seven years, Sharma anticipates further expansion of the storehouses with additional packing and logistic facilities throughout the state and he is urging private investors to get involved.

"With these facilities, a farmer can store apples for approximately seven months without any deterioration in quality and then sell whenever he wants, that is worth investing in.

"Private sector investors can get subsidies from the government of India and I would urge people within the sector to take full advantage of this."

The storehouses can also be used for other fresh produce.

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