The Hindu : Kappec to help boost grape exports from State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Kappec to help boost grape exports from State

By Nagesh Prabhu

BANGALORE FEB. 7. In order to boost the export of grapes from the State, the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation (Kappec), for the first time, has entered into a tie-up with Independent Fruit Trading Company of Holland.

Kappec has also roped in a Hyderabad-based firm, Sam Agritech, to procure fresh Thomson variety of seedless grapes directly from farmers in Bijapur District. Bijapur grapes are much sought after in the country and abroad, according to the Managing Director of Kappec, B.A. Channappa Gowda.

Sam Agritech is providing consultancy services to the grape growers of Bijapur District. However, the firm and Kappec have decided to procure grapes cultivated on 10 acres of land by three farmers, this year. Kappec plans to export around 70 tonnes of grapes to Europe. The estimated value of exports is Rs. 35 lakh, Mr. Gowda says.

The economy of Bijapur depends much on horticulture. The weather is said to be suited to growing grapes. Other major horticultural crops of the district are pomegranate and lime. All these years, the farmers were exporting grapes to European and West Asian countries through tie-ups with growers' associations in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The State ranks third in grape production after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Kappec is paying Rs. 20,000 a month to Sam Agritech for its consultancy services and work in connection with exports. "The harvest of grapes will begin from March in Bijapur, and the grapes should reach the European market in May, before the arrival of grapes from South American countries," he says.

The tie-up with the foreign firm has enabled Kappec to offer farmers Rs. 25 a kg for export-quality grapes. Sam Agritech will certify the quality of grapes to be exported.

"The prevailing drought has not affected the crop much and quite a good crop is expected this year," Mr. Gowda says.

The production of grapes in the State last year was 1,44,000 tonnes. But Kappec did not export grapes due to the poor quality. Kappec helped farmers export 14 tonnes of grapes in 1997-98. It exported 21 tonnes of grapes to Dubai in 1998-99, but incurred a loss due to the poor quality of the produce. It managed to export 14 tonnes in 1999-2000 without any profit.

"Kappec plans to start grape export business on its own. If we are successful this year, we will be setting up the required infrastructure in grape-growing districts such as Bijapur and Belgaum. Kappec will set up a branch in Bijapur next year and provide pre-cooling and cold storage facilities to enable growers to maintain the quality of grapes for a long time," he says.

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