Construction of controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage in India’s apple-growing regions is escalating as established store-owners expand their facilities and new companies rush to invest in the sector as returns from stored apples rise.
Pundits estimate India’s total CA storage capacity has doubled in the last two years to 100,000 tonnes, and considerable development is currently underway after a particularly profitable CA apple season last year.
“Last year was tremendous for CA storage owners because the apple purchase price from growers was low but the stored apple prices were high – everyone made money,” said Tarun Arora, managing director of one of India’s leading fresh produce distributors IG International. “So everyone is counting on the success from last year and investing in CA facilities.”
Yet despite this latest storage growth spurt, India’s apple CA capacity is still a drop in the ocean compared to the country’s annual national yields of some 2m tonnes.
“The growth potential in the sector is still really large as there are very few operators with large CA capacities: the main two are Adani and Fresh & Healthy Enterprise,” said Arora.
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