NASHIK: With minimum temperature plunging to 6.3 degrees Celsius, Nashik was the coldest city in the state on Tuesday.
In the rural areas, the temperature drop was even more drastic, Niphad, a major grape growing belt, recorded a minimum temperature of 4.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.
The grape farmers have started taking measures like lighting bonfires and using drip irrigation to water the vineyards in the wee hours to maintain the temperature.
According to Maharashtra Rajya Draksha Bagaytdar Sangh (MRDBS), an association of grape farmers, ready-to-harvest grapes in some of the vineyards in Niphad and Didori areas have started developing cracks and the exact extent of loss will be known only after two-three days.
The growth of grapes is affected if the minimum temperature goes below 6 degrees Celsius. Kailas Bhosle, senior office-bearer of MRDBS, said the vineyards which had carried out pruning in the first half of September are now ready to harvest.
“Around 20% of the total 1.75 lakh acre of vineyards are now ready to harvest. These vineyards have been affected due to the cold conditions. Grapes in some vineyards in Dindori and Niphad have developed cracks, but the exact quantum of the loss can be known only after two-three days,” said Bholse.
