In a new collaborative effort by the ministries of commerce and agriculture to slash the cost of grape production for farmers, both the ministries have agreed to bring in new varieties.
In a first, the government will float a global tender, asking companies to place their bids to supply seeds of some of the best varieties in the world that will also be suitable for Indian conditions. The National Research Centre for Grapes (NRC) in Pune has been tasked with firming up technical details. APEDA (under the commerce ministry) will also play a key role in the whole exercise.
Some 8-10 varieties will undergo comprehensive testing in Indian conditions and 2-3 of them may finally be selected, a senior commerce ministry official said. Commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been pushing for the diversification of grape varieties so that both production and exports get a boost, he added. Currently, less than 10% of India’s grape output is exported.
source: financialexpress.com
