Nashik, often referred to as the grape capital of India, is the country’s largest producer of table grapes and a significant hub for exports. The region’s favourable climate, fertile soils, and advanced cultivation practices have enabled thousands of smallholder farmers to build their livelihoods around grape production. However, producers face persistent challenges — from fluctuating market prices and rising input costs to compliance with increasingly stringent international trade requirements.

Fairtrade plays a vital role in addressing these challenges by ensuring better trading conditions, fairer prices, and long-term sustainability for farmers. The Fairtrade Network of Asia & Pacific Producers serves as the regional backbone for producer support, offering training, capacity building, and advisory services that help small producer organizations meet certification standards, strengthen governance, and access new markets. For Nashik’s grape farmers, this support is essential to remaining competitive in the global marketplace.

It is within this context that the Grape Conclave 2025 was organized — a focused gathering of grape producers, Fairtrade experts, and industry leaders. Hosted at Sahyadri Farm and organised by Fairtrade NAPP, the event brought together 20 participants from 11 small producer organizations to share knowledge, explore innovations, and address both current and emerging challenges in the grape sector.

Participating Organizations:

Vinifex Agro Producer Company Ltd, Euro Fairtrade Grape Association, Monsoon Small Grapes Growers Producer Company Limited, PPF Grapes Grower Fair Farmers Producer Company Ltd., Freshyard Farmer Producer Company Limited, ND Small Farmers Producer Company Limited, Kaledhonekar Farmer Producer Company Limited, Grapome Farmer Producer Company Limited, Fair Trade Grape Growers Association, Sahyadri Fruits Producer Company Ltd., and Niphad Farmer Producer Company Limited.

A Day of Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration

The Conclave served as a vibrant platform for cross-learning, technology exchange, and strategic updates. Key sessions addressed:

• Fairtrade Standards and Certification – Led by Sayali R Mahadik, Deputy Program Manager – Central India, Fairtrade NAPP, this session equipped participants with clear guidance on compliance and governance under Fairtrade Standards, critical for grape POs to secure contracts and protect producer interests in both domestic and export markets.
• Global Market Insights – Delivered by the Commercial Team from Fairtrade NAPP, this presentation provided a detailed assessment of international grape trade trends, consumer preferences, and emerging opportunities. For grape POs, understanding these dynamics enables them to align production with market demand, diversify buyers, and increase trade conversion rates for better income stability.
• Digital Empowerment – The Monitoring & Evaluation team introduced the FairInsights portal, a digital platform for data management, traceability, and performance tracking, to maintain accurate records, demonstrate compliance to buyers, and improve operational decision-making based on real-time data.
• Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) – Presented by Raj Bhushan, HREDD Program Manager – Fairtrade NAPP,the session highlighted the legal and ethical responsibilities of producer organizations in upholding human rights and environmental safeguards. For grape POs, meeting HREDD requirements is essential to retaining access to premium export markets where compliance with ethical sourcing standards is increasingly non-negotiable.
• Sustainable Farming Innovation – Mr. Shreeram Raghavan from the Heartfulness Institute introduced BIOCHAR technology, a cost-effective method to enhance soil health, retain moisture, and sequester carbon. Integrating BIOCHAR into vineyard management practices can reduce fertilizer dependency, improve grape quality, and strengthen climate resilience — all of which contribute to long-term farm sustainability.

Notable Immediate Outcomes

The introduction of BIOCHAR technology generated strong interest, with participants expressing eagerness for pilot projects and exposure visits to the Heartfulness Institute’s newly launched BIOCHAR Centre of Excellence. Farmers also welcomed the opportunity to integrate FairInsights into their operations, streamlining reporting and improving governance.

“Appreciate the efforts of Fairtrade NAPP for Grape Conclave. Request to organise exposure visit to Kanha Shantivanam Hyderabad.” – Roshan Zhalte, ND Small Farmers Producer Company Ltd.

“Good to know about initiatives of  Fairtrade NAPP and the consistent efforts to create ease of business.” – Mahendra Deore, Sahyadri Fruits Producer Company Ltd.

Laying the Groundwork for Long-Term Benefits

The Grape Conclave 2025 reaffirmed Fairtrade NAPP’s commitment to driving climate resilience, ensuring decent livelihoods, and expanding market access under Fairtrade terms. By combining practical training with strategic insights, the event has created a strong foundation for future growth — from improved governance and compliance to the adoption of innovative farming solutions.