Adani Agri Fresh launches digital apple mandi at Bithal

In a step towards transforming Himachal Pradesh’s apple economy, Adani Agri Fresh has launched its first Digital Mandi at Bithal, around 101 kilometres from the state capital, Shimla.

Manish Agarwal, business head, Adani Agri Fresh Limited, said, “Designed to put farmers at the heart of the trading process, the Digital Mandi will eliminate long-standing inefficiencies in packaging, pricing and payment delays. Farmers now need only bring their apples in crates. Adani’s facility will take care of sorting, grading and packaging using automated systems, ensuring standardised quality and zero human bias.”

“Adani Group has been working for the betterment of farmers in Himachal Pradesh. Our endeavour has been to ensure that farmers get the right price for their produce. This Digital Mandi will help connect apple farmers of the hill state with the rest of the country, enabling them to maximise their revenue. It will also make the entire sale and purchase process more transparent and trustworthy,” he added.

“With a digital bidding platform, buyers from across India can participate either virtually or in person, backed by real-time photos and quality data of each consignment. Payments will be processed digitally within seven days, giving farmers faster access to earnings. This initiative promises equal benefit for buyers and policymakers as well. Buyers gain access to graded produce, transparent pricing and credit-linked purchasing, while policymakers can leverage real-time data for planning, compliance and better governance,” he said.

Adani Agri Fresh Limited (AAFL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited, is part of the Adani Group, one of India’s leading business conglomerates.

With its ‘Farm-Pik’ initiative, AAFL became the first company to engage in organised apple procurement, storage and marketing following the construction of state-of-the-art controlled atmosphere storage units in Shimla district in 2006. The infrastructure includes high-tech storage facilities with a total capacity of 22,400 metric tonnes in the apple-growing regions of Bithal (near Rampur), Sainj (near Theog) and Mehandli (Rohru).

AAFL’s procurement network now spans over 17,000 growers across Himachal Pradesh, with more than 90 per cent being small and marginal farmers from around 700 villages.