Grapes arrive in Nashik

The grape season has begun with the arrivals of grapes in Nashik, the grapewine capital of India. The grapes, which have still not reached Nashik Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), are being purchased by fruits trading firms directly at their vineyards at the rate of Rs. 55-60 a kg.

Last year, the arrival of grapes had begun on October 15 in Nashik APMC, with wholesale rate of Rs. 43 per kg. Although, grapes have still not reached Nashik APMC even after a month as compared to last year, some fruits trading firms have started procuring grapes directly from the grape-growers at their vineyards for the last week.

The regular arrival of grapes in Nashik markets is expected to begin by the first week of December 2008.

Om Vasudev Fruits Co., a fruit trading company, bought 400 quintals of grapes directly from the grape-growers at their vineyards in Baglan tehsil of Nashik district during last week, at the rate of Rs. 60 a kg.

“The grape season has begun for the last week, but grapes are available at a very low quantity. Grapes are sweet and sour in taste and contain low proportion of of sugar. The regular arrival of grapes is expected to begin by either last week of November or the first week of December 2008. Last week, we procured around 400 quintal grapes at Rs. 60 a kg and delivered the first consignment to Delhi,” Rajendra Gothule of Om Vasudev Fruits Company told Business Standard.

“We have also tied up with the grape-growers from Sinnar tehsil for procurement of gragpes at their vineyards at the rate of Rs. 55 a kg and we will start procuring grapes from them from Thursday,”he said.

Nashik district is known for producing large quantity of grapes and it shares 55 per cent of total export of grapes from the country, and 75 per cent of total export of grapes from the state. In 2007-08, the total area under grape cultivation in Nashik district was increased by 5,000 hectares to 40,000 hectares.

More than 7 lakh mt of grapes were produced in the district and grapes productivity was 20 mt per hectare.