Mahindra Corporate

Mahindra Agribusiness has established a benchmark model in the cultivation and export of grapes. It works directly with farmers, providing them value-added services to grow crops (as per market needs), improve crop yields and decrease cost of production.

The company is working on a contract-farming model with farmers in Nashik and Sangli in Maharashtra on table grapes (seedless Thomson variety for export) where it is intensively involved with the growers, providing them with high quality agri inputs and expertise in cultivation. Its core competency is pre and post harvest management and supply chain solutions which ensure that the grapes are transported across continents in a controlled climate, so that their garden freshness is retained till they hit mall shelves across Europe. The company is also the only one in this business to map processes to ensure excellence in quality. Also, Mahindra Agribusiness uses environmentally friendly pesticides approved by the World Health Organisation during the course of cultivation.

Year 2005 was the first export season wherein Mahindra Agribusiness exported six containers to Europe. In Year 2006, during the period from February to April, thirty containers were exported - a five fold increase. The grapes fetched a premium of 10-15% due to their superior quality on arrival.

The company has entered into an exclusive supply agreement with a prominent European importer through which it supplies to huge retail chains in Europe.

Besides grapes the company is exploring exports of 15-16 containers of pomegranates to Europe in the current year.