U.S. retailers are focused on table grape imports and fruit in cold storage as the local harvest period has come to an end.

Spot banana business out of Ecuador and the specialized reefer-centric Chilean grape season are especially vulnerable to the delays. 

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.

The milestone follows significant efforts in the Latin American country to plant new grape varieties and become more competitive on the world stage.

Shipments are estimated at a total aggregate volume of 69 million boxes (8.2 kg), which would mark an 8% drop year-on-year.

Uvanova's Carolina Cruz and Martin Silva said: “We consider this season to be one of the worst, given that previous bad seasons - which saw water scarcity and rain during harvest - have had lasting effects.”

A Chilean-headquartered law firm is working with exporters and growers to file the lawsuit in a U.S. East Coast court against shipping companies and the Port of Philadelphia.

Chilean growers will have a new early and mid-season red seedless table grape variety developed in the South American country.