Reasons which led to massive drop in Grape cultivation in Telangana

On weekends, people in cars and on bikes can be seen driving through narrow roads in villages of Shamirpet Mandal in Medchal Malkajgiri, looking for grape orchards to buy the fruits in huge quantities. Until a few decades ago, those traveling on highways leading to Hyderabad used to see huge tracts of the orchards in the city periphery including Shamshabad, Tukkuguda, Bolarum, Shamirpet and few more places. At one point of time, the fruits cultivated in the orchards were consumed in European and other countries as the city was prominent for the exports. 

15,000 acres to 667 acres

In the 1980s and 90s, the extent of the fruit cultivation reached about 15,000 acres. However, there is a massive decline in the cultivation. In 2024-25, it has dropped to a mere 667.63 acres with production of 7,073 Metric Tonnes (MT), according to latest data. Only a few farmers are still cultivating the fruit.

Factors which led to decline of grape cultivation in Telangana

The real estate boom is often cited as a reason for the orchards making way for high-rises and other construction projects.

G. Ram Reddy, former head of  Grape Research Centre, too concurred with the role of real estate in bringing the change. He said that unlike Karnataka and Maharashtra, Telangana does not have a wine policy and subsidy is not given for grape cultivation. 

.A veteran farmer, K. Chandra Mohan Reddy of KDR Grape Gardens in Potharam Village of Shamirpet mandal said that there is another strong factor which brought down the acreage. “The massive rains in 2008 destroyed the crop and led to 100% loss of investment. Many could not recover and opted vegetable crops or entered other sectors,” said Mr. Chandra Mohan Reddy.

His father was one of the early grape farmers in Bolarum in 1988 and later set up the orchards in Medchal district in 1994-95. They also complemented the cultivation with a cold storage and pack house, and exported the fruits to Europe. “They maintained strict standards. We witnessed massive growth in the returns every year. A lot of places in Bolarum which are now packed with apartments or other buildings, once were filled with the orchards. Real estate played a role in the changes in land use,”Mr. Chandra Mohan Reddy said. 

Only a few pockets of the State still have the orchards. Of the 667.62 acres of grape cultivation in the State, 406.72 acres are in Medchal-Malkajgiri, 135.325 in Siddipet, 103.575 in Rangareddy, 9.125 in Jayashankar Bhupalapally. The crop is not opted in 22 districts. 

Grape can be cultivated in places with dry weather

“I still remember seeing grape orchards on my way to Hyderabad in the 1990s. Now the farms are filled with buildings,” said a Horticulture department official.  Mr. Chandra Mohan Reddy said that with a little training, it can be cultivated in any part of the State which has dry weather. 

“Hyderabad was one of the foremost viticultural centres of our country. A popular grape variety Anab-e-Shahi was introduced in Hyderabad by Abdul Baquer Khan from West Asia around 1890. Late Shankar Pillay, horticulturist, was instrumental for commercial cultivation of Anab-e-Shahi from 1960’s,” said T. Suresh Kumar, former Zonal Head at the Research Station and now Director of Extension at Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University.

Investment and returns

He said that diversification of uses as wine or juice, raisin and also export of table grapes offers a scope for increasing area under grape. Around ₹40-₹50 per kg is considered a good price by farmers. Currently, they put in ₹2.5 lakh - ₹3 lakh per acre of the crop

District wise grape production Telangana in 2024-25