Grape farmers in Maharashtra losing business

Pune, Apr 4 (ANI): Grape growers in Maharashtra are loosing their business due to wineries canceling their contracts as a consequence of declining demand for Indian wines.

In 58 wineries of Maharashtra, the wine produced last year is still lying unsold. As a result, the wineries have reduced production. The farmers are unable to even get Rs. 24-30 per kg for grapes, which they were getting earlier.

"I have suffered huge losses. Even the wine factories that are taking grapes are lifting only four to five ton produce. Because of this, my grapes are still lying in fields and are rotting," said Ullamrao Madane, a farmer.

The wineries say they are now importing wine from other countries for quality and cost effectiveness.

"The wine which we import to India, we maintain its quality according to production, which is not done in our country. Secondly, grape costs in India are higher as compared to foreign countries. Also the quality of wine here is inferior compared to foreign counterparts and imported wines are cheaper, so we import," said H.S Tambhe, Chairman and MD, Century Wines Pvt. Ltd.

In Maharashtra, wine grapes are cultivated in around 9000-acre farmland.

Last year in regions like Nashik, Pune, Latur and Solapur , large scale cultivation of different types of wine grapes was done. By Shivaji(ANI)