The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Grape growers to get a boost

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Grape growers to get a boost

M. Raghuram

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Luscious: Varieties of grapes on display at the ‘Grapes Mela’ in Bangalore on Monday.

BANGALORE: Grapes grown in the State and value added products derived from it must find a place in the international market, says Agriculture Secretary A. Ramaswamy.

He was speaking to The Hindu at the “Grapes Mela” organised by HOPCOMS here on Monday. Nine varieties of grapes in a total area of 95,000 hectares are grown in the State, and the annual output is 1,80,000 tonnes.

Managing Director of the Wine Board Krishna said the board had plans to help grape growers, which included contract farming. To help the growers get the right price for their produce, the board had announced a support price of Rs.45 a kg and had advised them to grow only those varieties that were suitable for wine-making. The board had also imported several French varieties.

Wine fest

He said these varieties grew well in India. Dr. Krishna said the board expected to get 4.5 tonnes per acre, which was more or less equivalent to the yield in France. He said over 200 acres had been brought under these varieties of grapes in Devanahalli, Doddaballapur and Gowribidanur taluks.

Experts were also testing the soil conditions in Kolar district, he said. According to him, it takes Rs. 3.5 lakh to set up an acre of vineyard. There were already two companies and over 200 acres of vineyards and soon Bangalore would have its own brand of wine in the market.

The board was also planning to hold a “Wine fest” every year to attract international wine companies and consumers. According to figures available with the Wine Board, the per capita consumption of wine in Europe and U.S. was 60 litres per annum, while in India it was just 5 ml per person per year.

The board was also planning to have a series of “taverns” only for marketing wine. These establishments could only sell wine and no other liquor. The deputy commissioners of all districts would be empowered to give licences to the taverns. As a pilot project, the board would also set up a model winery unit at the Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Research at Hesaraghatta here, which would impart training to the growers to set up their own wineries.

Chairman of the HOPCOMS Mune Gowda is confident of Bangalore’s own exclusive variety “Bangalore Blue” being suitable for wine-making.

He said HOPCOMS would encourage growers to not only increase the acreage under “Bangalore Blue” variety but also set up their own wineries. He said the “Bangalore Blue” variety was only suitable for making wine and it was the only chance for the grape growers to add value to their produce.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka