Grape farmers in Maharashtra are not happy notwithstanding the fact that 1.06 lakh tonnes of grapes in 7,964 container have been exported from the State despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and series of lockdowns. The farmers are sour that growth in volume has not helped them as prices have dipped in the international market.

Grape export from Maharashtra has gone up this year compared with last year. In 2019-20, Maharashtra exported 92,342 .403 tonnes grapes in 6,842 containers.

Nashik district exported 96,028.132 tonnes. This means, it has accounted for 90 per cent of the total grapes exported from Maharashtra, while Sangli district has shipped out 6,124.348 tonnes (6 per cent of total grapes export).

The Netherlands is a major export destination for Maharashtra grapes with 64 per cent of the fruit heading to that country. Over 68,406 tonnes of grapes were exported to the Netherlands in 5,153 containers. Over 19,575 tonnes of grapes were exported to the UK in 1,389 containers. About 9,857 tonnes grapes were exported to Germany. Finland, Denmark, Lithuania, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and Poland are other export markets for Maharashtra grapes.

According to data from the Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have not exported grapes last year as well as the current year till May 12.

Not beneficial

“Compared to last year, exports have gone up but this has not helped farmers in any which way. Good availability of grapes kept market rates down for the entire season except for the last few days. Pricesof grapes ruled low and farmers received no substantial returns,” said Jagannath Khapre, President of All India Grape Exporters Association.

Vilas Shinde, Chairman and Managing Director of Sahyadri Farms, Nashik-based FPC, said, “ Domestic markets crashed and hence more farmers wanted to export their produce. As a result, the volume of export surged. Shipping companies and supermarkets in Europe were the main beneficiaries. Shipping companies hiked rates by about 40 per cent and European supermarkets which have a monopoly on the market purchased grapes at a low price.”

Shinde said that export of grapes exceeded the demand in the European market. “Only exporting grapes in big number is not going to help farmers. We have to put a strategy in place to control the supply in domestic and foreign markets.”

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