With the onset of summer, strawberry plants are fast turning into proverbial money-tree in the UK and other countries, where the prices of the delicate fruit have started soaring, inducing many an Indian firm to grow more for exporting the commodity to these countries.
It is learnt that at least three firms had applied for permission to import nearly 1.3 million plants of strawberry from Europe and the US for growing in India.
However, the agriculture ministry has allowed only Delhi-based Sheel Biotech to import 600,000 tissue culture plants of strawberry and denied permission to Mizoram’s Zopar Exports and Delhi’s Dev Bhumi Cold Chain for want of dealer licence.
The agri-business firms feel that by growing imported plants in Himachal Pradesh and in the North-east, the quality of the fruit can be improved because of climatic conditions.
Presently, strawberry is mainly grown in Maharashtra, while a small quantity also comes from Jammu and Kashmir. The peak harvesting season for the fruit is between November-end and May.
India’s 400-500-tonne strawberry export is likely to dip this year as production has been affected. The output may come down to about 10,000 tonnes this year from 16,000 tonnes last year as rains in December affected the crop.
Strawberry Growers Association President P M Bhilare said.
