Lower initial volumes for Coachella, Mexican table grape deals
Year-on-year table grape shipping volumes from California's Coachella Valley and Mexico are significantly lower, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The grape deals have recently begun in both growing regions, and figures from the USDA's Agriculture Marketing Service show Mexican grape shipments passing though Nogales are nearly half last year's level, while Coachella volumes are five-times lower.
A May 15 report showed there had been 1,103,025 18-pound-equivalent units passing through the U.S. point of entry in Arizona, compared to 1,985,090 a the same time last year.
Meanwhile, Coachella Valley packouts were 98,327 units compared to 495,656 last year.
The total number of Mexican grape cartons that passed through Nogales in 2016 was 16,157,622 units, while total Coachella packouts were 5,344,667 units.
The main variety being shipped from the Coachella Valley at the moment is Flame Seedless, which makes up 80% of volumes, while Perlette Seedless is the main Mexican cultivar, corresponding to a third of shipments.
Average per-carton wholesale prices of Mexican Perlette Seedless and Flame Seedless are slightly higher than last year, at US$50 and US$39.30 respectively.
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