The analysis of India's apple market trends and outlook released by fruit wholesale trading company, CR Fruits International, shows that the country's apple output did not suffer despite erratic weather but this upcoming apple season will be shaped by competition between domestic and imported apple varieties. 

Unfavorable apple-growing weather such as erratic rainfall, climate change, extreme heat, and insufficient cold weather, led to a surge in apple imports at the beginning of the season.

Monsoon season, which starts from June to September in India, and begins in the South, brought "extreme heat and lack of early rains across the country" having a notable impact on apple volumes in the country. 

In lieu of lower local apple output, imported apples, particularly New Zealand Galas and Turkish Red Delicious, experienced a surge in demand, raising overall prices of the commodity. Polish apples arrived a little later, although of lower quality due to logistic uncertainties.

Despite the transport issues, "repacked Polish apples were sold at premium rates."

In July, southern India faced extremely wet weather but, thankfully the rains didn't reach the north of the country and Himachal Pradesh apple growers didn't suffer any decline in production, which "allowed the apple season to commence as scheduled and with high-quality produce."

This 2024 season marked a shift for Himachal Pradesh apple growers, the report states. "Himachal apples were uniformly packaged in 25kg boxes, standardizing pricing and mitigating the influence of weight variations."

Apple prices stabilized in August as supplies normalized. The arrival of Red Delicious apples from Iran and Turkey reduced the need for extended Himachal apple controlled atmosphere (CA) room storage. 

Apple import trends 

Although import transit time has been extended due to the Red Sea unresolved issue, Indian importers have placed early orders of Turkish Gala apples due to a modest market share of Indian Galas. Limitations exist due to irregular vessel schedules and restricted availability for southern India. 

Polish growers began harvesting Gala apples in early September but due to insufficient summer heat pressure, farmers anticipate a subpar season. They plan to cease exports to India by December. 

Italian apples have been losing market share to Polish growers due to Poland's more favorable growing conditions. 

Iranian growers expect a larger crop compared to the previous season, "with no significant climate-related issues." The country's apples are favored in southern India thanks to their freshness and competitive pricing. 

In summary, the report states that the Indian apple market is navigating a complex landscape of domestic and international influences "with varying impacts on supply and pricing."