The Hindu Business Line : Chinese stores may soon stock <I>desi</I> grapes

THE country's grape exports will get a major fillip this year with importers from at least 14 new international markets, including China, Hungary, Spain, Poland and Norway showing interest in the fruit.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is expecting grape exports to go up by 12,000 tonnes this season as more than 20 buyers from these markets held discussions with grape growers at the international symposium on grape production and processing held at Baramati over the last week.

"We expect at least Rs 35 crore worth of business in grape exports from these non-traditional markets to come out of the buyer-seller meet that happened and Rs 75-80 crore total business from other potential business like export of mangoes, pomegranates in the next 6 months," the APEDA Director, Mr S. Dave, told reporters here.

Currently, grape exports are mainly to the European markets. However, with non-traditional markets opening up for the farmers, prospects of a broadbased, sustained, exports programme is now under way. Last year, the grape exports were 35,000 tonnes.The Indian grape, meanwhile, could soon be on Chinese supermarket shelves with a team of Chinese buyers attending the buyer-seller meet. A team from China's Quarantine Department is expected to be in India visiting vineyards and packhouses in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh for a first hand look at our processes.

"We expect a green signal from the team to commence exports two weeks after that so that the supermarkets can start selling our grapes this season," Mr Dave said.

China had given the go ahead for Indian grapes in July last year but procedural requirements like the visit by the team delayed actual kicking off the market access project for grapes.

China's exports to India include apples, pumpkins and melons.

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