PUNE: The unseasonal rainfall damaged the grape orchards, resulting in less number of plots registered for export this year. The number of plots registered for grape export in the State for the current year is 32,949 while last year it was 43,000.
As per the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the number of registered plots for the grapes export for this year was 32949 and the total export from Maharashtra till January 24 was around 3,100 MT while last year it was 3,841.751 MT. Due to unseasonal rainfall, export of early variety of grapes was hampered and a downfall in export was expected.
Commissionerate of Agriculture, Agri Export Cell, Technical Advisor Govind Hande said, “The registration of plots are also less and last year it was around 43,000 and therefore APEDA has extended the deadline for the registration till January 26, but it is unlikely that the registration will cross 35,000 plots as rain has damaged grape orchards in the State.”
“The export season was delayed as there was no export of early variety grapes which constitute around 15 to 20 per cent of the total export,” Govind Hande said.
State Commissionerate of Agriculture, Joint Director of Agriculture (Horticulture), Shirish Jamdade said, “This year, our target was one lakh plots but due to unseasonal rainfall that destroyed the orchards. The total number of registrations are less than last year. The rainfall has also destroyed the quality of the grapes and it is expected that there will be a downfall in grape export.”
All India Grapes Growers Association of India President Sopan Kanchan said, “Rainfall has hampered the early variety of grape export and there was hardly any. However, the late pruning grapes are giving good produce but in some location due to climatic conditions, growers are facing problems. It is likely that this year the export will be 25 to 30 per cent less compared to last year.”
Subhash Kokrale, a grape grower from Narayangaon, Junnar taluka said, “We have both varieties of grapes and in an area of two acres we have early variety of grapes which was completely destroyed this year due to rain. Last year, I exported 16 tonnes of early variety of grapes. However my late pruning produce is good and hopefully the harvesting will start after 15 to 20 days.”
