India launches Grapenet to boost grape export

New Delhi, June 21 (UNI) India today launched a new web-based software to allay fears of European buyers of Indian grapes over the presence of traces of pesticide residue in the fruit.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which was informed of the problem following repeated alerts by the European Union (EU) on the issue in 2003, has developed '' Grapenet'' which seeks to provide traceability regarding table grapes exported from India to the EU.

The software is designed to reach the root of any grape export transaction, an official statement said. Introduced for the first time in the country, the website www.apeda.com can be accessed by any registered importer in the EU.

After launching the software here, Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said it would help raise the confidence of importers by enabling the monitoring of pesticide residue. It will also help achieve product standardisation and thus boost grape exports to the EU.

The software works on regulations of tracing origin of produce in the reverse order from shelf to farm at the click of a mouse. '' Now, importers, export regulation authorities abroad and in the country, and anyone using this software will be able to access the information at one's convenience at their tables about any grape export transaction'', Mr Ramesh said.

By clicking standardisation marks such as the phytosanitary number or Agmark number, one can directly access the certificate-issuing authorities. One can reach inspection reports, laboratory analysis, certificate of residue analysis and details of the pack house where the produce was packaged.

Traceability has helped 40,000 grape farmers come together and apply uniform farming practices. There is complete accountability in the system and farmers have earned 40 per cent more value for their grapes, the statement said, adding export value went up from 8 Euro to 11.5 Euro for a pack of 3 kg grapes in 2006-07.

The success achieved in implementing the residue-monitoring system has resulted in doubling of export of table grapes from India in the last three years, the statement said. About 55,000 metric ton of grapes worth 40 million Euros were exported in 2005-06 out of a total production of around 15 lakh ton, it added, stating that 80 per cent of exports were from Maharashtra alone.

UNI