From small-scale production in the 1960s to a global giant today. It is the production path of table grapes in India, an international case history that will be presented at the Macfrut Table Grape Symposium by Azhar Tambuwala of Sahyadri Farms, the largest agricultural producing company in the Asian state, which has contributed to developing the cultivation of grapes tableware in India by promoting the introduction and diffusion of new cultivars from international groups. On the first day of the World Symposium, Wednesday 8 May at the Rimini Expo Centre, Tambuwala will speak on the topic “India and the table grape industry”.

“The production of table grapes in India began its commercial cultivation between the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s, mainly in the state of Maharashtra", explains Tambuwala , anticipating some themes. "Initially it was small-scale production with the cultivation of traditional varieties. Exports began in the late 1990s to the Middle East. Subsequently, India expanded its export destinations to Europe, Russia, Southeast Asia and other global markets.” Since the 2000s it has taken shape on the global market. “It is in the new millennium that our production gains momentum in the global market, due to various factors: improvement in cultivation practices; the adoption of quality standards and regulations for residue monitoring; investments in international standard infrastructure such as cold storage and packaging facilities and efforts to meet international phytosanitary requirements. In this way, the Indian table grape industry has managed to create its own image as a consistent and reliable supplier in the global market."

The last four years have been decidedly difficult. “We have traveled on a roller coaster", continues Tambuwala . "In order we have had: Covid in 2020; issues with shipping companies in 2021; geopolitical issues and shipping line rate increases; Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2023; tensions in the Red Sea in 2024. This season the fruit looked very good at the farm level and everyone expected a fruitful year. Indian fruit generally takes 21 days to reach the European market. Unfortunately, due to problems in the Red Sea, the transit time to Europe has increased from 2 weeks to 35/40 days. Freight for the shipping line nearly tripled as ships took routes through the Cape of Good Hope. The main problem we faced was the shelf life and perishability of the fruit, since the fruit traveled for more than 35-40 days, in a few containers it reached 50 days or more”. All this has had repercussions on Indian table grape exports.

“India has shipped nearly 10,000 containers to EU, UK and Russian markets this season. Of which 7500 containers towards the EU itself. If we consider historical load data, 2024 loads are lower than those of the 2019 season, which was the largest so far.” The dynamism regarding new product varieties is notable. “The table grape industry in India has been successful with the introduction of Grapa, Bloom Fresh, Itum and Sun World varieties. Currently the most cultivated varieties are Grapa's Red Selection, Bloom Fresh's Allison, Timco and Ivory and many others from Itum and Sun World which are developing rapidly and will soon join this path". Prices in the domestic market are growing. “The Indian market, being an important market, can offer a good price for the upcoming varieties. The Red selection planted by Sahyadri Farms reached a domestic market of 3.5 dollars per kg ex-farm, when the market for traditional varieties was moving at 60 US cents per kilogram”. Finally a prediction. “With the new varieties and the long time window, India is the new tiger on the world market,” concludes Tambuwala .