Sri Lanka, Feb. 18 -- Export of grapes from India to Russia and Sri Lanka has halted midway in the season over stronger pest control requirements from the destination countries, the Indian Express reported.

While export to the more lucrative European and United Kingdom markets continues, overproduction has led to a collapse of prices at the farm gate level. Vilas Shinde, chairman of the Nashik-based Sahyadri Farms, a Farmers Producers Company (FPC), said plant quarantine issues have been raised by both Russia and Sri Lanka. "Both the countries have asked for a declaration of the entire area as pest-free," he said.

Shinde said the necessary documentation is to be done by the agriculture department's plant quarantine department. "Sri Lank...