Don Limon is throwing its support behind small and new grape growers in India. This is part of a movement instigated by larger forces at work, such as the UN, which aims to increase development expenses. As a company based in Germany, there is now a 50/50 partnership in effect, which creates an ecosystem in which government, corporates and small growers in developing countries all join forces to create new business potential in fruit and agriculture. With this purpose, a new Social Impact Project was started beginning September this year.
After conducting local research into the basic needs of local producers, who are generally poor people, it appeared that knowledge is a key element to their progression. Particularly increased knowledge and support in the areas of pre- and post-harvest practices. This means helping growers with their marketing via the attendance of trade fairs and in the immediate approach of customers. It also means helping them with working out the logistics of international market supply.
A large part of this role is filled in by a local exporting partner in India. This existent supplier of export grapes has grower experience and topical knowledge of the industry. Via an outgrower system, this expertise is being shared with the small growers. Besides this, the exporter also plays a pivotal part in the monitoring of production and recruitment of local experts in the fields of expertise that particular new growers might need support in.
Tied into this, is the collaboration of Don Limon’s Debjit Ghosh at the European market side, who is native to the same province in India where the social impact project is also being materialized. He’s available to the growers via Skype and phone, yet also makes frequent visits to the field. In those fields, the harvest of the crop will start mid-January. The season will last until mid-may. For the first round in which the project is operational, a volume of 15 export containers from 35 different growers is prevised. Next season, this figure is expected to increase to 65 growers and should grow to 135 growers in the third season.
