A challenging season could be ahead for the grape industry in India, says Swapnil Aware, board member for Indian grape exporter Mersel Foods: "The grape season is still in its early stages, and we're seeing the initial signs of what looks to be a challenging year. At this point, only a small number of plots have reached the stage where they are ready for harvesting. This is fairly typical at the beginning of the season, but the impact of weather patterns, such as heatwave in the summer and subsequent heavy rainfall, has added complexity. As the season progresses, we expect a clearer picture of the harvest potential. With each passing week, more plots will become ready, and we will have a better understanding of the overall quality, yield, and market conditions. For now, we remain cautiously optimistic but are closely monitoring how the crop develops."
As availability is low at the beginning of the season, Aware states that demand is at a high point. "At this stage, demand remains high, which is not unusual at the start of the season when there is limited availability of early-harvest grapes. There's strong interest from both domestic and international markets. However, the challenge lies in meeting this demand, given the current logistical and quality concerns. With lower-than-expected early yields and some quality issues caused by adverse weather, there is a sense of urgency in fulfilling orders. As the season progresses and more fruit becomes available, we expect to be in a better position to meet the growing demand."
Logistically, the current situation presents several challenges, particularly with respect to shipping to Europe, Aware explains: "Transportation costs have risen due to various factors, including increased fuel prices and disruptions in the global supply chain. The availability of containers and shipping slots has also been an issue, as the geopolitical factors have had lingering effects on global trade routes. To mitigate these challenges, we have worked closely with our logistics partners to ensure that shipments are well-coordinated and meet the necessary quality and time requirements. We've been prioritizing advanced planning, booking shipping slots well in advance, and ensuring that our products are properly stored and handled to avoid any spoilage during transit. Despite these efforts, delays and cost increases are inevitable, but we're constantly exploring alternative routes and more efficient transportation options, to meet our European clients' expectations."
According to Aware, weather conditions have certainly had an impact on grape quality, particularly in the early part of the season. "The intense heatwave we experienced earlier caused some stress on the vines, reducing the fruitfulness of the vineyards. As a result, the early-harvest grapes are showing signs of stress, such as less fruitfulness in some cases. Additionally, the heavy rains that followed have led to cause problems like mold, rottening or skin cracking, affecting the visual appeal and marketability of the grapes. This has resulted in a shortage of premium-quality fruit in the early part of the season. However, we're hopeful that the weather will stabilize in the coming weeks, and the later-harvest grapes should exhibit better quality as the vines recover from the earlier stresses."
All of these challenges combined have resulted in a higher price for the grapes, this early in the season, says Aware: "Grape prices have surged significantly at the start of the season, largely due to the reduced yield and weather-related challenges. The heatwave and heavy rains have affected both the quantity and quality of the harvest, leading to scarcity in the market. As a result, prices have spiked, particularly for the early-harvest grapes. However, we expect prices to stabilize and gradually decrease as the season progresses and more grapes become available for harvesting. As supply increases, the pressure on pricing should ease, bringing it closer to the average levels we've seen in previous years."
"Looking ahead, we remain cautiously optimistic for the rest of the season. While we've faced several challenges so far, we expect conditions to improve as we move deeper into the season. We anticipate a recovery in grape quality as the vines adapt and the weather stabilizes. Additionally, as more plots become ready for harvesting, we should see a significant increase in volume, which will help balance out the market. Our primary focus moving forward is to ensure that we maintain high standards for quality while meeting the logistical demands of our clients, particularly in Europe. Overall, we believe that despite the challenges, the season has the potential to yield satisfactory results, both in terms of quality and profitability," Aware concludes.
For more information:
Mr. Swapnil Aware
Mersel Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Tel: +371 29 516 075
Email: [email protected]
www.merselfoods.com