India: Nashik exports over 3K grape containers to UK and Europe

Despite inclement weather and hailstorms that flattened vineyards recently, grape growers in Nashik have managed to export about 3,200 containers of table grapes to UK and Europe. The exports to Russia and China have not been included in the count, Draksha Bagiatdar Sangh (grape association) chairman Kailas Bhosale told The Asian Age on Sunday.

Grape growers hope to export 500 more containers by April. Compared to last year’s exports of around 6,000 containers, there is a shortfall of about 2,500 this year. About 100 containers are shipped daily and each contains an average is 13 tonnes of grapes.

The Asian Age had earlier reported that according to sources, grape production in Nashik was likely to decrease by 20 to 25 per cent this season, affecting exports and local supply with premium prices, despite an increase in acreage.

Though the production is difficult to survey due to scattered vineyards, agriculture sources say that it is around 600,000 tonnes. The Nashik district is the largest producer of grapes in India with nearly 1,75,000 acres of vineyards, while the total acreage in Maharashtra is 2,50,000.

Source: asianage.com