Early harvesting of grapes has started in the grape growing region of Satna taluka of Nashik district.
Presently, on an average, about 150 tonnes of grapes are being harvested per day and are being sent to North India. Apart from this, grapes are also being exported from here to Russia.
Nashik grapes season
Generally, the regular harvesting season of grapes starts from second fortnight of January in Nashik district. It peaks in February and March and ends by April. In contrast, the early grape harvest begins in November and ends by the end of December in Satna taluka of the district.
Out of the total 2 lakh acres under grape plantation in the district, 6,000 acres are the early grape crop. Manik Patil, a senior office-bearer of the Maharashtra State Draksha Bagayatdar Sangh, said, “The early season of grapes has started in Satna and surrounding areas and will continue till the end of December, when the regular grape harvest season begins ”
Farmers have said that they are getting good price this season in export as well as in domestic market. Khanderao Shewale, a grape farmer who planted grapes on 70 acres of land in Satna, said that in the last grape season, farmers had to bear heavy losses due to unseasonal rains.
“But this time there is no damage to the vineyards and the early grape harvest season is in full swing. We are also getting good rates in both international and domestic markets. We are getting Rs 100 per kg in the domestic market this year, while last year the price was Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kg.
“We are also exporting grapes to Russia, where we are getting Rs 110 per kg this year, compared to Rs 80 per kg last year,” he said.