Strawberry growers in the Panchagani-Mahabaleshwar belt of Maharashtra are expecting a bumper crop this year and a rise of 10-20% from the production in the previous year.
?We are expecting a production of 20,000 tonne this year, thanks to improved production techniques being used by farmers in the region,? said Babasaheb Bhilare, Strawberry Growers Association chairman. Last year, strawberry production in the region touched 18,000 tonne and was around 16,000 tonne a couple of years ago.
The Panchgani-Mahabaleshwar belt contributes around 85% of the total production in the country. The rest come from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. This year, around 2,000 acre have come under strawberry production with 1,600-odd farmers cultivating the crop.
However, unlike the past when farmers made attempts to get into the exports market, Bhilare said the focus this year would continue to be on the domestic market because of the rise in demand. ?Previously, customers were under the impression that this is a fruit that could only be enjoyed by Britishers. However, there have been several festivals that have been held in the past to increase awareness among the people and that have paid off. Around 50% of the crop is consumed by tourists while the rest are sent in the markets,? he said. The strawberry season begins in November and lasts till March every year.
The association has seen a rise in demand from markets in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, in addition to regular markets in Mumbai and Pune. Around 15-20 tonne strawberry find way to Chennai and Bangalore. Retail chains have also emerged as major buyers with Reliance Retail purchasing around 100-150 tonne from the growers, he said. Other retail chains such as Big Bazaar purchase similar amounts from local traders, he pointed out.
Bhilare pointed out there were too many hassles involved in exports and therefore it was easier to tap the domestic market. Pesticide residue norms in strawberries pose a major problem for potential exporters and a pilot consignment sent a few years ago had to be sent back because of this issue. Farmers usually end up using pesticides because of erratic climatic conditions and this causes problems later, he said. Bhilare, however, pointed out that farmers were facing challenges owing to rise in input and labour costs. Labour cost has doubled in last one year and it becomes difficult for farmers to sustain this crop, he said. And, therefore, the acreage under cultivation is expected to go up by a modest 100 acre next year, he added. India is a negligible player in the world strawberry market of over four million tonnes. US is the biggest producer.