The California table grape season which started in the Coachella Valley on the week of May 13 is underway, with positive outlooks for the year.
Last season, the industry was hit by Hurricane Hilary during the peak harvest period, which caused a loss of about 30% of the initial projection for the crop. It was the smallest crop on record since 1994 for the state.
This year, the sector expects promotable volumes from June through the beginning of January.
Nick Nakashian, director of content development of the California Table Grape Commission told FreshFruitPortal.com that for the 2024 season, the Commission is launching a new global marketing campaign in the U.S. and 21 export markets.
"The campaign is designed to motivate shoppers to purchase California grapes as a healthy snack with a focus on holidays and celebrations, and/or gift-giving," said Nakashian.
He added that harvesting is expected to begin in the San Joaquin Valley in late June or early July, lasting into early December. Shipments of table grapes typically peak between August and November.
"The initial estimate for the 2024 California table grape season is 94.4 million 19-pound boxes, down slightly from the 2020-2022 average of 96.6 million 19-pound boxes," said Nakashian.
Even though the price is still uncertain, the increase in supply should stabilize prices compared to the previous season where the shipping point price for California grapes reached $28.54 per carton, up 29% from $22.12 per carton in 2022 and $22.52 per carton in 2021.
