NEW DELHI: A proposal was made to import different varieties of disease-resistant grape saplings by the Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association and the All Indian Grape Exporters Association, however this has hit a hurdle.
The cost of royalties for the patent varieties of grapes is around R400m. This amount has to be collected from farmers, with some financial assistance from the government. Five new varieties of disease-resistance grapes have been imported by the State Grape Growers Association from South Africa to help improve the yield of fruit in Nashik.
Despite farmers having shown interest in these varieties and importing the grapes, getting the funds is proving difficult. The NRC has been providing technical assistance in ensuring that these raw materials are disease-free and can grow in India.
Grape exports contribute around R16 billion to the country’s foreign exchange market and the government has been asked to contribute towards these funds as the funds are so high, however the government has asked grape growers to collect funds form the farmers first.
Maharashtra accounts for nearly 98% of India’s total grape exports. The state produces around 21 to 22 lakh tonne of grapes and it exports around 18 to 19 lakh tonne. They usually export to the Netherlands, Russia, the UK, the UAE, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
