Mahindra agri to increase export potential with new grape varieties
Farmers are now trying out Redgrove and Black grapes to diversify and cater to emerging export demand. Ashok Sharma, MD, Mahindra Agri Solutions, said the company has set up a demo cultivation farm on 25 acres to grow new grape varieties using the latest technology.
“We have increased exports to China from five containers (of 12-17 tonnes each) last year to 40 containers this year after helping farmers to grow grapes that meet Chinese requirements,” he added.
The company is also helping farmers in Maharashtra to grow new grape varieties that can be exported in October and November to new markets. Currently, India has a unique advantage with very few competitors when it exports grapes between December and March.
Banana next
The company is now planning to replicate the grape model to export bananas. India is the largest producer of bananas but exports are negligible because of quality issues.
“We have our own banana cultivation in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and are working with farmers to grow good-quality bananas for the export and domestic markets,” said Sharma.
source: thehindubusinessline.com
