Unseasonal October rainfall damaged over 40% of the vineyards across the district and it is likely to impact export of the produce by around 50% during the current grape season (2019-20).
The area under grape plantation in the district this year is around 50,000 ha. But due to the untimely showers, the yield off the remaining vineyards is also likely to drop off.
As per Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) norms, it is mandatory for grape exporters to register their vineyards for export. The Nashik district office of the state agriculture department had started the process and has received dismal response from grape farmers. November 30 was the last date for registration.
Last year, a total of 38.400 grape farmers had registered their vineyards on a total of 24.575 hectare across the district. But this year. the state agriculture department is expecting around 50% drop in registration.
"So far, only 12.307 grape farmers have registered a total of 7,753 hectare of vineyards for export. We have extended the registration deadline by a month. We are expecting over 50% drop in registration of vineyards this year because of the unseasonal rainfall," an official from state agriculture department said.
The traditional grape harvest begins in December, but in Baglan and some other parts of the district the harvest begins in October. However, owing to the rain 100% ready-to-harvest grapes have been damaged in Baglan taluka.
"The district had exported around 4.000 tons of grapes to both non-European and European countries by December 2 last year. But not a single container of grapes has been exported so far from Nashik," an official from agriculture department said.
