The story
Grape gardens spread across Tasgaon, Miraj and Kavathe Mahankal talukas in the 1970s and 1980s with canal and lift irrigation. Because fresh grapes spoil fast and prices crash at harvest, farmers began drying them into raisins in shaded sheds, and Tasgaon became a major raisin market with cold stores for year-round sale. Sangli raisins got a GI tag in 2016.
In numbers
The Raisin Making Cluster, Miraj (Sangli) had 138 functional units, a turnover of Rs 150 crore, exports of Rs 80 crore and employment of 2,000.
Brief Industrial Profile of Sangli District, MSME-DI (Ministry of MSME) · 2012Sangli Raisins is a registered GI (Application No. 490, Certificate No. 263 dated 18-05-2016); the applicant is Maharashtra Rajya Draksh Bagaitdar Sangh, Sangli.
GI Registry (IP India) – Application No. 490, Sangli Raisins · 2016
GI tag
- Sangli RaisinsApplication no. GI Application No. 490, Certificate No. 263 (18-05-2016)GI Registry (IP India) – Application No. 490, Sangli Raisins
Ways in for a newcomer
- Raisin grading, washing and branded packing
- Cold-storage capacity for raisins
- Online and export sale of GI-tagged raisins
- Drying-shed construction and drying-oil supply
Problems the cluster faces
- Rain and humidity during drying
- Use of drying oils and residue limits
- Price falls when supply is high
- Labour shortage at harvest
Businesses to start here
Kishmish (Raisin) Making →Cold Storage (Potato, 2000 MT) →Cold Room (2 × 10 MT) for Fruit and Vegetables →