‘Grape yields 40-50 per cent less than last year in Maha’

Nashik: The grape harvest is over in the Nashik region. But with the advent of Ramzan, there is a good demand for grapes across the country. Hence, stored table-grapes are hitting the Indian market currently, while some grapes are being sent to Dubai as well, said sources. The Draksha Bagiatdar Sangh Grape Research Centre’s chairman Kailas Bhosale said that the yield this year was 40 to 50 per cent less than last year.

“Generally the yield from a one acre vineyard is nine to ten tons but this season we only got an yield of five to six tons due to the vagaries of nature last year,” he said. Last year, the vineyard owners had to resort to distress sale of grapes and the minimum rate was Rs 10 per kg at the vineyard. This year there was less harvest and current prices of black grapes in Nagpur and Kolkata retail are roughly Rs 74 to Rs 81 per kg while green grapes are available between Rs 81 to Rs 89 per kg.

Jagannath Khapare, the president of the Grape Exporters Association of India (GEAI) said that

this year India exported about 92,000 MT grapes to Europe and UK, while last year’s exports were 1,01,716 MT. The export data to other countries is not available but is approximately double the exports to Europe and UK. However, he stressed that though exports were less than last year, comparatively they were better for farmers.