The Hindu Business Line : Software to trace grapes exports to EU launched

Agri-Biz & Commodities - Horticulture/Fruits & Vegetables
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Software to trace grapes exports to EU launched

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INSPIRING CONFIDENCE

New Delhi June 21 A new Web-based software "Grapenet" providing traceability about the table grapes exported by India to the European Union (EU) was put in place on Thursday to inspire the confidence of importers about upkeep of safety standards of farm produce.

Launching the Web site developed by the Agriculture and Processed Food Export Development Agency (APEDA) here, the Minister of State for Commerce, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said the software worked on the regulations of tracing back to the origin of the produce in the reverse order from shelf to farm at the click of a mouse.

"Now the importers, export regulation authorities abroad and in the country or for that matter anyone who will be using this software will be able to access the information at one's convenience about any grape export transaction," Mr Ramesh said, adding that the software was designed to reach at the root of any grape export transaction.

For other fruits

The Minister said that efforts are also on to put in place similar software for mangoes and within nine months it would be ready so that importers could be assured of the phyto sanitary standards from the country of origin. By clicking the phytosanitary number or Agmark No. one could reach directly to the certificate issuing authorities and from there "one could reach at the inspection reports to laboratory analysis, certificate of residue analysis and the pack house details". He said that a Web-based software for pomegranate would also follow.

Export realisation up

Mr Ramesh said traceability has helped 40,000 grape farmers to band together and apply uniform farming practices. He said there is complete accountability in the system and farmers have earned 40 per cent more value for their grapes. Export value realisation for grape has gone up from 8 to 11.5 euro for a carton of 3 kg in 2006-07.

Mr Ramesh said the success scored in implementing the residue monitoring system and information-technology based traceability procedure has enabled all stakeholders in the country and importers and supermarkets in the EU to get confident about Indian grapes, as a result of which export of table grapes has doubled during the last three years. In 2005-06, India exported 40 million worth of table grapes. About 55,000 tonnes of grapes, out of a total production of 1.5 million tonnes, were exported. APEDA said 80 per cent of exports was from Maharashtra alone.

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