Adani Agri Fresh Expands into Stone Fruits Segment, to Begin Cherry Procurement in Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi, May 2026 : Adani Agri Fresh Limited (AAFL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited, has announced its foray into the stone fruits segment, beginning with cherry procurement in Himachal Pradesh. The move marks a major expansion of the company’s agri-business operations and is aimed at strengthening market access and improving returns for fruit growers in the hill state.

The company said it plans to gradually expand into other stone fruits such as peaches and plums after initiating cherry procurement in the upcoming season. AAFL believes the expansion will help farmers benefit from improved storage facilities, better pricing mechanisms and access to wider markets across the country.

AAFL has already upgraded its controlled atmosphere storage infrastructure at six locations in Himachal Pradesh to support the storage and distribution of cherries. These facilities are expected to enhance shelf life and maintain the quality of highly perishable fruits during transportation and marketing.

Speaking at the “Fruit Horizon 2026: Globalizing India’s Fruit Value Chain” conference, organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Uttar Pradesh State Transformation Commission and the Department of Horticulture, AAFL Business Head Manish Agarwal said the company was building on its long-standing experience in apple sourcing and marketing.

He stated that the company would begin cherry procurement this season and later expand into additional stone fruits, adding that the initiative reflects AAFL’s continued commitment towards improving market opportunities for farmers.

AAFL has been among the earliest organised players in apple procurement, storage and distribution in Himachal Pradesh. Since launching operations under its Farm-Pik brand in 2006, the company has procured more than three lakh metric tonnes of apples from over 17,000 farmers in the state. It has reportedly made direct payments of nearly Rs 1,500 crore to growers over the years.

The company currently operates a cumulative storage capacity of 25,000 metric tonnes in Himachal Pradesh, helping farmers reduce post-harvest losses and sell produce over an extended period rather than immediately after harvest.

AAFL follows a standardised grading and sorting system that determines prices based on fruit quality. The company says this transparent mechanism allows farmers to secure better value for their produce while reducing dependence on traditional mandis.

The company is also expanding its Digital Mandi initiative, which allows growers to sell produce remotely without physically visiting procurement centres. The digital platform is expected to be extended to more regions in the coming months.

At present, AAFL procures nearly four per cent of Himachal Pradesh’s total apple production and plans to further enhance its outreach among growers. Alongside its agri-business operations, the company, in association with the Adani Foundation, is also involved in healthcare, education and community development programmes in orchard-growing regions of the state.