Support promised for grape growers

Efforts will be made to support grape growers in the district, Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari said in Bidar on Tuesday.

After a meeting with the officials of the Karnataka State Wine Board, Horticulture and Agriculture Departments, he said the government would provide technical know-how and logistical support to grape growers in collaboration with the Board.

Currently, a small area in Basava Kalyan and Humnabad is under grape cultivation. “We plan to increase it,” he said. He asked the officials to create awareness among farmers about the crop.

He suggested to the officials of the Industries Department to facilitate setting up of a new winery in the district and support the existing units. The government was giving subsidy and other facilities to wine-making units, he pointed out.

“We will try to ensure that all the facilities and benefits available to farmers of other agricultural and horticultural crops reach the grape growers, including easy loans and approvals,” he said.

Wine expert Veeranagouda Patil said wine grapes were hardy and reduced the losses suffered by farmers during extreme climatic conditions.

“It does not demand much water. Farmers can grow grapes on 2.5 acres using the same quantity of water used for cultivating one acre of banana or sugarcane,” he said.

Once planted, grapes continue to yield for 20 years. Farmers can expect profits of upto Rs. 1 lakh per acre, he said.

S. Sarvesh, technical officer, said Karnataka was the second biggest grape-growing State in the country after Maharashtra.

However, output per acre in the State was higher than that in the neighbouring State he said.