August 24, 2025

Shimla is abuzz as Adani Agri Fresh Limited (AAFL) kicks off the 2025 apple procurement season in Himachal Pradesh! Starting August 24, AAFL will begin buying apples at their centers in Rohru, Rampur, and Tutu-Pani, followed by other locations till August 28. The star news: AAFL is offering Rs 85 per kilogram for Large-Medium-Small (LMS) grade apples — that's a crispy Rs 5 increase from last year's price! "We are pleased to start this year's procurement at Rs 85 for the LMS grade of 80-100% colour premium apples, which is Rs 5 more than our last year's opening rate. Our priority remains ensuring fair returns to farmers while maintaining quality standards," shared an AAFL spokesperson. Here's the juicy pricing scoop for the 80-100% colour Premium apples: Extra Large (EL) at Rs 45/kg, LMS at Rs 85/kg, Extra Small (ES) at Rs 75/kg, Extra Extra Small (EES) at Rs 65/kg, and smallest size PITTU at Rs 45/kg. For Supreme apples with 60-80% colour, prices range from Rs 35/kg for EL and PITTU sizes, Rs 65 for LMS, Rs 55 for ES, to Rs 45 for EES. Apples with less than 60% colour and ROL (rejected) apples fetch Rs 24/kg, while undersized Extra Extra Large (EEL) or US apples come at Rs 20/kg. Why all the excitement around apples? Himachal Pradesh boasts about 11 lakh hectares of farm land where around 2 lakh hectares grow fruits; half of this is vibrant apple orchards. Producing nearly 5.5 lakh metric tonnes annually, apples add over Rs 5,500 crore to the state economy. Adani Agri Fresh currently handles about 8% of this juicy harvest, and plans to increase it thanks to its new digital mandi. Wait, there’s more — on July 30, 2025, AAFL launched India's first digital apple market at Bithal near Rampur, 120 km from Shimla. This cool tech twist connects farmers directly with buyers, skipping middlemen, offering transparent prices and better deals. Farmers are loving it, expecting better incomes this season. The apple season peaks between late August and October, and AAFL’s strong starting price of Rs 85/kg for premium apples is already setting the pace for other markets. Traders predict apple prices will climb as the season moves ahead, making this year a sweet deal for Himachal’s apple lovers and farmers alike!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Adani agri fresh limited, Apple procurement, Himachal pradesh apples, Fruit prices, Digital mandi, Farmers' income,