Peruvian table grape exports are forecast to grow by 16% year-on-year during the 2020-21 season which is now getting underway.

The Peruvian Table Grape Growers and Exporters Association (Provid) said that its first estimate had pegged export volume at around 56m boxes equivalent to 8.2 kilos each, La Republica reports.

The growth is largely driven by an increase in planted hectares which are now maturing and coming into production, as well as the greater proportion of seedless varieties with higher yields.

The growing varietal mix means that Peru will now be exporting around 50 cultivars to more than 50 markets worldwide, Provid said.

"As an industry we are in the process of varietal reconversion, which can be clearly seen in the progressive reduction of Red Globel grapes in our export mix," it said.

The large, seeded Red Globe variety used to represent around half of grape exports just four years ago, but last season it only made up 32%. The downward trend is expected to continue this season.

Last season Peru exported around 48m boxes of table grapes.