Date:30/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/08/30/stories/2007083051712100.htm

Back Area under grapes down in Coimbatore

L.N. Revathy

Coimbatore, Aug 29

The area under grapes has dwindled in the Coimbatore region from over 2,500 acres two years ago to about 750 acres at present. Grape farmers foresee a further drop in area as the climate has not been conducive for raising this crop.

“We were first hit by drought, followed by unseasonal rains, causing severe damage to the crop. Since grape cultivation expense itself is heavy, most of the growers were caught in a debt trap.

Unwilling to take a risk for a second time, the marginal farmers gave up grape cultivation, while the others preferred to reduce the area under this crop,” Mr M.P. Sivasubramaniam, Treasurer, Coimbatore District Grape Growers Association, told Business Line.

In the meantime, the real estate prices had started to zoom and a good number of farmers sold their holdings and booked profits. “The land price is not very high now, but growers continue to wait for buyers,” he said, without divulging details of the probable rate in that belt.

The ‘Paneer’ grape variety is raised in this region. A major chunk of the produce is offloaded in the Kerala market, and the rest at the farm gate. Growers price the produce at Rs 20/kg.