Yawning gap between raisin production & sale hit grape growers

The online dry grape trading centre constructed at a whopping Rs 2.90 crore in Vijayapura city was expected to boost the raisin industry. But, the facility is of little use for the producers.

The district, known for its export quality grapes, has also made a name for itself for the top quality raisins. Every year approximately 50,000 tonnes of riasin is produced in the district. Marketing the raisins has been quite a task for the raisin producers. Following the persistent demand by the grape growers, the state government established an ‘online raisin trading centre’, with the financial assistance of the National Horticulture Mission (NHM).

Raisin buyers from across the country visit Vijayapura every Saturday, the day when raisin is traded at the centre. The buyers however prefer only the first quality raisin. In fact, the online trading centre here has no facility for marketing the second and third quality raisin. This has left the producers high and dry as 50 per cent of their produce falls in second or third quality category.

For every four to five kg of grape with necessary pulp and sugar content, (nearly 18-20 per cent) one kilo of raisin is produced. If a grape grower produces one tonne of raisin using nearly four to five tonnes of grape, only 50 per cent of the raisin (nearly 500 kgs) will be of first quality while the remaining 500 kg raisin is classified as second and third quality.

Vaman Mahishi, who’s been cultivating grapes for last four decades, says, “On the bright side, the trading at online facility is transparent and there is no room for any commission agents or middlemen. The farmer is sure to receive the amount due to him from the buyer sooner or later.”

On the flop side, the online trading centre does not facilitate the sale of the second and third quality raisin. The centre facilitates the sale of just 1,000 tonne raisin a week. As a result, it requires nearly 50 weeks (almost a year) to sell the entire raisin produce of the district. The delay in the sale would affect the quality of the raisin. Therefore, farmers will have to either take their produce to Maharashtra or submit the produce to the commission agents, Mahishi explained.

Add to it, the centre does not pay the producers immediately after the sale of raisin. Though the APMC controls the affairs of the trade at the centre, the market committee has no funds to pay the needy farmers.

The district has more than two lakh acres under grape cultivation. The annual grape production is around thirty lakh tonnes. Nearly 50 per cent of the grapes is sold as table fruit while the remaining is made into raisin. Such big produce needs a better marketing system, says Vaman Mahishi.