Photo used for indicative purpose only . Source: Internet
Shimla, May 9
Adani Agri Fresh Limited (AAFL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adani Group, has announced its entry into the stone fruit segment with plans to begin cherry procurement in Himachal Pradesh during the current season.
The company said the move marks a major expansion of its operations beyond apple sourcing and is aimed at strengthening market access and price realisation for fruit growers in the hill state.
AAFL stated that its controlled atmosphere storage facilities across six locations in Himachal Pradesh have been upgraded to support cherry storage and distribution. The company expects the initiative to improve shelf life of the produce, expand market reach and ensure better price discovery for farmers.
Speaking at Fruit Horizon 2026: Globalizing India’s Fruit Value Chain, organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on May 7, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said the company would gradually expand into other stone fruits as well.
“We will begin with cherry procurement in the coming season and gradually expand into other stone fruits such as peaches and plums. This builds on our experience in apple sourcing and our continued focus on improving market access for farmers,” he said.
AAFL has been operating in Himachal Pradesh’s apple sector since 2006 under its Farm-Pik brand. The company claims to have procured over three lakh metric tonnes of apples from more than 17,000 farmers in the state, with direct farmer payouts of nearly ₹1,500 crore over the years.
The company has also developed a cumulative controlled atmosphere storage capacity of 25,000 metric tonnes in Shimla district, including facilities at Bithal, Sainj and Mehandli.
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According to the company, the procurement model is based on a standardised grading and sorting system which enables transparent price discovery linked to fruit quality. AAFL said it is also expanding its Digital Mandi initiative that allows farmers to sell produce remotely without visiting procurement centres.
Currently procuring nearly four percent of Himachal Pradesh’s apple production, the company said the latest expansion into cherries is part of its broader strategy to diversify fruit procurement and strengthen the horticulture supply chain in the region.
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