Lack of work force and soaring labour charges have left a sour taste in Andhra Pradesh grape farmers' mouth this year.
Farmers are now worried over the ripened berries in their farms as acute shortage of labourers have forced growers to postpone plucking of grapes.
To add to the woes, labour charges also went up over 200% to Rs 300 per day per person from Rs 100 a few months back.
Fruit markets are also feeling the heat now as grapes from Andhra Pradesh are not arriving at the mandis even though the plucking season is at its peak.
Farmers say the boom in construction industry has robbed them of their work force. At construction sites labourers get around Rs 300 per day per person whereas grape gardens don't pay that much to the workers.
Besides, the production has also taken a beating in Andhra Pradesh with the total acreage coming down from 8,000 to 6,000 in the state.
According to Andhra Pradesh Grape Growers Association sources, grape growing areas, which were closer to the under construction Shamshabad airport, have now been acquired.
While land acquisition is one of the factors for reduced production, farmers' interest for growing grapes is also diminishing. The rate of return for grapes is less in the domestic markets and hence not seen as a lucrative business. Andhra Pradesh produces over 60,000 tonne and exports about 100 containers of grapes, mainly to the UK market.
Of late, farmers are cultivating grapes as a part-time business rather than making it a full time occupation. This is because they do have alternative sources of income.