Indian grapes have proved to be a success in the European market with the produce fetching premium rates in the countries, especially the Netherlands, Lithuania and the United Kingdom.
Vilas Shinde, chairman and managing director of Nashik-based Sahyadri Farms – the largest grape exporters of the country, said the present rates are 20 per cent higher than the previous season. “The quality and size of the fruit has improved and exporters have been able to command good prices from the European markets over all,” he said.
This year, Indian grapes have found favour thanks to the higher sugar content and good quality of the fruit.
Explaining the reason, Shinde said post November the grape-growing belts of Nashik, Sangli and to an extent, Pune have not seen any rain which has helped in the peak season for harvest in the months of January, February and March.
Roughly around 7,000 containers have left the country with each container having around 21-22 tonnes of grapes.
Shinde said the season had started with major logistic cost uptake due to the problems of Houthi rebels along the Red Sea.
“Transport costs have risen by over $2,000-2,500 for a container and it is taking longer than expected as the shipments are routed via the Cape of Good Hope. But, overall the costs have been compensated by the good prices,” he said.
During the 2022-23 financial year India had exported 2.67 lakh tonnes of fresh grapes.
Export season has started early and is expected to end by the first week of April. This can have an impact on the total volume exported but the forex earned might compensate for the loss in volume, experts said.
Sahyadri Farms had marketed two new varieties which Shinde said had good response from the domestic markets. At the farm gate, these varieties were sold at over Rs 230 per kilo with domestic traders talking about good returns from the sales. “This is encouraging for us and we will increase our acreage for the same,” he said.