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ATM News Network: Despite adverse factors such as the delayed start of the export season, increased import duty by major importer Bangladesh and a slowdown in shipments to Russia due to war-related conditions, grape exports have increased in the 2022-23 financial year. The news of this content has been published by Apeda with reference to The Hindu Business Line.
Grapes have been produced well this season and the quality of exportable grapes is also good. Grapes are in great demand in Europe. We expect this year's exports to reach the highest level of 2019, said Vilas Shinde, Chairman and Managing Director, of Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company Limited (Sahyadri Farms).
In 2018-19, India's grape exports reached a record high of $335 million. But in the subsequent years, exports declined due to the Covid lockdown and global loading challenges, due to increased freight rates, inclement weather, and a decline in production.
This year, the export season has been extended by a fortnight i.e. in the third week of January due to unfavourable weather, but the export has picked up speed. Now the weather is clear. Helping to increase production and productivity.
In the past three years, production had declined due to bad weather. Due to the war, it was not possible to send goods to Russia. Also, Bangladesh has increased the import duty from Rs 32 to Rs 53 per kg. This is a matter of concern, Shinde said, Bangladesh may export about 10-15 percent less goods.
About 2.4 lakh tonnes of fresh grapes are exported from India. Out of which more than 1 lakh tonnes are exported to Europe and 60,000 tonnes to Bangladesh. Later it was exported to other countries including West Asia, and Russia.
India exported grapes worth $69.65 million during the April-November period of the current financial year, according to the latest Apeda data. It has increased by 23 percent compared to the same period last year. Being a small seasonal fruit, fresh grapes are shipped from January to March.
Currently, India is the 11th largest exporter of grapes in the world. Exports have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 12.6 percent over the past decade.
This year will be good and positive for grape export. We will do very well, says Apeda President M. Angmuthu said.
"Compared to last year, grape exports are relatively good. The season has gone well so far. We are expecting to ship over 100 containers of about 1,500 tonnes of grapes, said Pankaj Khandelwal, Chairman and Managing Director, of INI Farms. Agrostar, an agro-technology company, has acquired INI. INI Company exports about 100 containers of grapes every year mainly to Europe.
Sahyadri Farms expects a 10 to 15 percent increase in sales of fresh grapes considering the good demand and good production this year. Last year, Sahyadri exported about 1,100 containers of grapes. There were about 14 tons of grapes in each container, Mr Shinde said.
What do the statistics say?
India's grape exports in 2021-22 were $305.7 million. It was down 2.6 percent from $314 million in the previous year.
During 2021-22, exports were to the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Russia, the UK, UAE, Germany, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Thailand. According to the third advance estimate for 2021-22, grape production is higher at 3.47 million tonnes than the final estimate of 3.358 million tonnes for 2020-21.
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by ATM staff and is published from a web feed.)
