Maharashtra farmers cheer raisin treat for school kids

The Maharashtra government will provide raisins to government school students once a week, as part of the midday meal scheme, to help grape farmers earn more. State Horticulture Minister Sandipan Bhumre said the move would help farmers get prices amid a glut in raisin production. 

Owing to fluctuating market rates and nature’s vagaries, many grape farmers in Maharashtra turned to raisin production this season. According to market estimates, about three lakh tonnes of raisin have been produced in the State, of which 40 per cent has been sold and 60 per cent is in cold storage. After Bhumre’s announcement in the State legislature recently, grape farmers are celebrating.  

“In the last few years, especially after Covid-19, more and more grape farmers are shifting to raisin production because traders don’t pay appropriate price for grapes, many small farmers cannot take their produce to bigger markets, and many traders have cheated farmers by failing to pay for the produce,” says Salim Kanwade, a farmer from Sangli.

Grape farmers have, for the last few years, demanded including raisins in school midday meals. Farmers in Sangli and Nashik, which are hubs of grape production, had petitioned Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with their demand.

Pointing out that they cannot afford to pay cold storage charges for extended periods and are forced to sell the raisins at low rates, farmers say they will benefit if the government buys the produce at a minimum support price.Students, too, will get a healthy addition to their meal, they reason.

They urged the government to issue orders and implement the decision without delay.