May 6, 2020
The restrictions of a lockdown-confined Ramazan, has unexpectedly become occasion for the union of Kashmiris with their apples. Picking up the right time, two youths have started delivering fresh premium-quality Kashmiri Kulu apples at people’s doorsteps in two major cities viz… Srinagar and Anantnag.
Tanveer ul Haq and Asim Iqbal both chose the auspicious beginning of Ramazan for their separate “start-ups”, Tanveer’s named his start-up as ‘Fruit in Agro’ and Asim’s ‘e-fruit Mandi’. According to the young entrepreneurs, they are getting overwhelming response from the people and demand is growing good.
“We started it without any advertising or promotions, only with Facebook posts,” said Tanveer, speaking on behalf of himself and Asim. He said that they have dodged their bets on the quality of the homegrown apples and if people find these apples better and cheaper than imported ones, then they will buy it or else the start-ups won’t last long.
“We have expectations to sell around 1,000 boxes of Kulu apples this Ramazan through home delivery. One may imagine that it will fetch us lakhs of rupees but our intention is to reduce the dependence on imported apples. When we have the best quality, then why import?” Tanveer emphasized.
He said so far he has delivered about 200 boxes in Srinagar city in alliance with delivery agents, despite hindrances caused by the lockdown of pandemic.
Asim Iqbal said that his company is delivering apples in Srinagar as well as Anantnag and is expecting to sell around 2,000 boxes, which come in a pack of 2kgs and 5kgs during Ramazan. “We buy the apples from cold stores and only the premium quality Kulu apples are chosen, which has the best quality even according to world standards,” he said.
Both Tanveer and Asim want the government to ease the restrictions on home delivery and to bring apples under essential commodities, so that they can be delivered without any hassle with the police authorities.
Tanveer and Asim are delivering apples at the rate of Rs. 130 per kilogram, including delivering charges. “Some people ask why more than a hundred for a kilo; the reason is, we are delivering premium quality, and if they compare it with international prices, these apples are sold for Rs. 400 a kg and in India for Rs. 300,” Tanveer said.
The Kashmiri Kulu apples can be ordered through social media platforms, by phones call, or from the companies’ web portals.
Showkeen Ahmad, who bought a pack of these apple recently, said that people are not even aware that such good-quality apples are available locally. “That’s why they buy the costly imported apples that are poorer in quality than our own,” said Showkeen.
“Excellent initiative of delivering apples on order. My review is that the apples are really apples and not kachra (trash). I used to buy these apples @ Rs. 300/kg which I bought @ Rs. 130/kg and delivered to my doorsteps. Hope it continues post lockdown too”, Saba Reshi, a customer, wrote on her social media page.
The Kashmiri Kulu apples are delicious extra juicy, has a unique crunch, vibrant colour, and deep applish flavour.