The story
The British planted strawberries in the cool hill station of Mahabaleshwar in the 1800s, and local farmers took up the crop after Independence. The cool winter, red laterite soil and tourist traffic made it profitable, and jam and crush makers grew in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Today most of India's strawberries come from this area, and the berry got a GI tag in 2010.
In numbers
Mahabaleshwar Strawberry is a registered GI (Application No. 154, Certificate No. 131 dated 03-09-2010); the applicant is Shriram Fruit Processing Co-operative Society Limited.
GI Registry (IP India) – Application No. 154, Mahabaleshwar Strawberry · 2010
GI tag
- Mahabaleshwar StrawberryApplication no. GI Application No. 154, Certificate No. 131 (03-09-2010)GI Registry (IP India) – Application No. 154, Mahabaleshwar Strawberry
Ways in for a newcomer
- Jam, crush, syrup and dried-berry units
- Pick-your-own farm tourism and farm stays
- Cold-chain delivery of fresh berries to Pune and Mumbai
- Runner (planting material) nurseries
Problems the cluster faces
- Unseasonal rain and fungal disease
- Very short shelf life of fresh berries
- Eco-sensitive zone rules limit construction
- Dependence on tourist season
Businesses to start here
Multi-Fruit Juice and Squash Unit →Fruit Bars →Agro-Tourism Farm →Cold Room (2 × 10 MT) for Fruit and Vegetables →