Table grapes continue hort export charge in Australia

TABLE grapes remain the darling of horticulture exports. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences' (ABARES) Agricultural Commodities Outlook Report for the March quarter 2024, released today, has repeatedly referred to the continued healthy rise of the table grape industry. While ABARES reported average nominal export prices are forecast to fall in 2023-24 as world supply rises at a faster rate than demand, it highlighted table grapes as the exception. "In contrast, nominal table grape prices are expected to increase in 2023-24 due to a fall in world supply," the report said. "Table grape export prices are forecast to rise further in 2024-25 due to continued growth in world demand." While it didn't provide specific figures for table grapes, the 2022/23 Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook put the sector's fresh export value at $557.3 million. The ABARES report acknowledged the increased planting of table grape varieties popular in key export ...