Over the past 20 years, US table grape imports have increased by 27 percent, a direct result of an ongoing upward trend driven by consumer preference for healthy, high-quality products,
Freshfruitportal.com spoke with the Dominican Republic's Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, and AMFRESH Managing Director of North America, Felipe Kanacri, about quality, updates, and future plans.
The first harvest of commercial grapes is scheduled for April, and a trial shipment will be sent to the United States shortly thereafter.
Thomas Holt III, running sales and marketing at Holt Logistics Corp., told Freshfruitportal.com that the supply of table grapes arriving in the U.S. is significantly outpacing last season.
These shipments are expected to generate returns of $107 million for Chile, especially benefiting producers and regions approved to implement this phytosanitary protocol.
With harvest ongoing, the industry expects to harvest a crop of over 90 million boxes and to continue shipping through December.
California growers have sustained that the authorization unlawfully abandons traditional, time-tested safeguards and exposes U.S. grape producers to significant risks and costs, including those related to invasive pests.
According to the report, California’s table grape and peach production are expected to thrive this season.
However, the state's grape-bearing acreage has been experiencing a gradual decline, marking a fifth consecutive year of reduction in 2023.
An in-depth analysis of consumer trends in U.S. supermarkets provides insight into the market and consumer behavior, especially for a product like grapes.
