Table grape export volumes increased by 20,000 tons to more than 130,000 tons – worth more than $570 million – lower than the industry’s pre-Covid peak, but an improvement on the past two seasons. 

The ability to respond to the changes in consumer trends and preferences in northern markets led the sector’s success, with varietal change to seedless grapes and patented cultivars playing an important role. 

The drop can be attributed to multiple factors, including a decrease in the area dedicated to table grape cultivation and unfavorable climatic conditions in the central region of the country, which have adversely affected yields.

Favorable growing conditions in China and Turkey more than offset losses in Chile and India, with global volumes estimated to rise to 27.3 million.

Sonoran grapes are now roaring into the marketplace, after a slow start which caused historically high prices.

Data reveals that a staggering 16 million 18-pound boxes have been shipped thus far, denoting an impressive year-on-year increase of nearly 40% compared to the 11.5 million boxes exported in the previous season of 2021-22.

The facility will be functional early this summer, offering IFG’s research and development team more than ten times the size of its current lab.

Incoming volumes this season culminated at 37.1 K tons, a 24% decline compared to the highest volume of 48.6 K tons recorded in the 2021/22 season.

Many U.S. retail shelves for grapes are empty this June due to unusually cold weather in key Sonoran grape districts near the Arizona border which means all grapes from the region are late.

Dirk Winkelmann, President of Vanguard Direct, reflects on upcoming opportunities for black table grape varieties.