The Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA) is hopeful more growers will register for exports to China and Thailand this year, but is taking extra caution to ensure all the country's protocols are met.

CEO Jeff Scott told www.freshfruitportal.com the ATGA would be hosting training and education programs this week with 1.5-hour presentations in the towns of Mildura and Robinvale, which are growing areas in the Riverina region.

"Registrations are needed for our protocol markets of China and Thailand. We had about 150 growers all up last year for these markets and there seems to be a good expression of interest this year," he said.

"We are negotiating with China about how we can better improve our production and procedures so that we can export under the conditions they would like to see - we take exports to China very seriously and know that we need to adhere to all aspects of the protocol.

"If everything is sorted out we could be starting shipping in early January."

He said Australian exporters would probably continue to have a good niche for Crimson Seedless grapes in the Chinese market, as the industry had ideal conditions for it, but other varieties had good prospects too such as Thompson Seedless, Red Globe, Midknight Beauty grapes.

www.freshfruitportal.com