Tamil Nadu: Crop damage, low price worries grape growers

MADURAI: Grape growers in Theni district are worried over damage caused to crops and declining prices in the market. The initial spell of the northeast monsoon caused inundation in the grape fields, causing damage to standing crops

M Selvakumar, president of KK Patti Grape Farmers Association, said the monsoon rain and cold weather reduced the demand for ‘Panneer’ grapes, predominantly grown in parts of Theni district. A couple of months ago, a kilogram fetched Rs 70 at the farm gate, but now it has come down to Rs 40.

“While finer quality grapes, which are fully black in colour, are priced at Rs 40, the other quality, with its skin colour losing its sheen, is sold at prices ranging from Rs 20 to Rs 25,” he told DT Next.

Days of cold weather are considered a grim period for grape farmers, and the price decline will last even longer, Selvakumar said, adding that the arrival of seedless grapes from Maharashtra to the local market will bring the price of Panneer grapes down even further.

P Venkatesan from Thenpalani village, Uthamapalayam, said that after a fortnight of rain, grapes suffered damage and adding to woes, bats have caused heavy damage.

Pon Katchikannan from Surulipatti village, Cumbum block, said the rains received this monsoon season have been huge, which is unprecedented over the past 45 years.

According to sources from the Department of Horticulture, field officers conducted assessments on five grape fields in the Cumbum block, and the crop has been damaged on about an acre. Crop damage assessments were also done in Uthamapalayam and Chinnamanur blocks.

“If the crop is exposed to rainfall for five consecutive days or a week, it suffers damage. The district, which has a cultivation area of 1,700 ha, experienced a considerable amount of rain, but it is less than the amount compared to the corresponding time last year. It rained about 160-170 mm in October last year,” sources said.

The problem is not just the amount of rain in Theni, but the downpour along the Western Ghats gave rise to the water level in the Mullaiperiyar dam, and the subsequent situation prompted release from the dam, causing a breach that allowed water to rush onto some grape fields nearby the waterbody in Cumbum.

Further, it was also mentioned that anti-bird nets are available under the subsidy scheme, and the farmers could well utilise them.