Economic viability and challenges in grape production: A review with focus on India

Abstract

This review paper examines the economic viability and challenges associated with grape production, focusing on India, one of the largest global producers and exporters of grapes. Grape production is a high-value agricultural activity, offering substantial revenue generation opportunities, especially through export markets. India’s grape exports grew significantly over recent years, with exports reaching 343,982.34 metric tons in 2023-2024, solidifying its position as the largest exporter of fresh grapes worldwide. This paper analyzes the cost of production, revenue generation, and profitability of grape farming in India, along with a detailed overview of the year-wise production and export performance. The paper highlights the growth in grape production and exports, including a growth rate of 25.55% in quantity and 36.58% in value from recent years. However, it also discusses the various challenges faced by grape farmers, such as climate change, pest management, labor shortages, post-harvest losses, price fluctuations, and infrastructure issues. Furthermore, challenges related to value addition, cold chain management, and logistics management in grape production and export are explored. By examining these challenges, the paper offers insights into strategies that can be adopted to improve the sustainability and profitability of grape production in India.