Foreign “Grape Experts’” Advice Backfires, Nashik Farmers Face Big Losses
Nashik
Grape growers in Nashik who followed guidance from overseas consultants are reporting sharp losses high advisory costs paired with mismatched climate practices have caused yield drops and financial stress.
Nashik|05 December 2025:Growers in Nashik district who hired foreign consultants often called “grape gurus” for export quality grape production are suffering heavy losses this season after the experts’ advice failed to align with local climate conditions.
Multiple vineyard owners reported that expensive modern techniques and management protocols advised by these specialists did not match Nashik’s unpredictable weather, leading to poor flowering, fruit set failures and low yields. Farmers claim that despite investing substantial sums on infrastructure, pesticides and upkeep, their output shrank dramatically.
Weather has also played a role: extended rainfall and lack of sufficient sunlight disrupted flowering and fruit development forcing many grape growers to cut down vines as the season’s harvest prospects dimmed.
Earlier this season, reports showed a likely 70–80 per cent drop in production and rising concerns over export ready grape supplies. Additionally, exporters subsequently lowered prices for substandard grapes inflicting another blow to the already distressed farmers.Growers and local farming associations are now demanding support from the government including crop insurance coverage, compensation for failed output, and better tailored consultancy services that respect the region’s climate realities.
Still reeling from financial losses, many grapegrowers in Nashik say this season’s experience has shaken their confidence in foreign advisories and exposed the risks of importing one size fits all farming models into variable local ecosystems.
