How Much Does It Cost to Build a 1,000-Ton Apple Cold Storage? How Much Land Do You Need?

Apple storage relies heavily on proper refrigeration to maintain freshness after harvest. In a 0–5°C cold storage room, apples can typically be preserved for about two months.
For long-term preservation, many commercial operators use Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage, which can significantly extend shelf life.
👉 Learn more about the proper storage methods for apples in CA cold rooms here.(Preserving Perfection:Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage Methods & Results for Red Fuji Apples)

How Much Does a 1,000-Ton Apple Cold Room Cost?

A standard apple cold store designed at 0–5°C, built at 4 meters height, typically costs:

USD 150,000 – 190,000

(complete turnkey project including insulation panels, refrigeration system, evaporators, installation, and commissioning)

How Many Apples Can It Store?

1,000 tons = 1,000,000 kg of apples.

At a loading density of 0.18–0.2 tons per m³, the cold room requires approx. 4,800–5,000 m³ of storage volume.

With a 4-meter room height, the needed floor area is around:

✔ 1,200 m² land area

Recommended Room Division (Why Three Rooms Work Better)

For a 1,000-ton apple storage facility, Haocool recommends dividing the cold room into:

• 300 m² room
• 400 m² room
• 500 m² room

✔ Why split into rooms?

Because in real operation, apples are not always stored at full capacity.

When only one room is needed (for example, 300 m²), the other two rooms can be completely shut down.

✔ Electricity savings:

Shutting down unused rooms reduces annual power consumption by 25–35%, delivering significant operational cost savings.

Energy Consumption Overview

Typical energy consumption for apple cold stores:

45–65 kWh per cubic meter per year

Advanced compressors, EC fans, and electronic expansion valves can further reduce electricity usage.

What Problems Does This Cold Room Solve for the Customer?

A 1,000-ton apple preservation cold room helps the customer:

✔ Extend apple shelf life to 2 months

Stable storage allows selling apples when prices rise — higher profits.

✔ Reduce product loss

Consistent 0–5°C and 85–95% humidity prevent water loss and skin wrinkling.

✔ Lower operating cost

Room-by-room control cuts power bills significantly.

✔ Improve supply stability

The customer can maintain inventory and supply supermarkets, wholesalers, and exporters all year round.