Peru
Certified Table Grape Area Grew 2.5% In 2022 (Jan 16)
In 2022, 20,799.06 ha of table grapes were certified in Peru, an area that represents an increase of 2.5% compared to the 20,281.79 ha registered in 2021. Fernando Cillóniz, highlighted that 2022 was the record year for certified table grape areas for export in Peru, surpassing 2020 when 20,756.06 ha were certified. He explained that the regions with the largest grape areas in 2022 were: Ica with 9,156.65 ha (9,550.30 ha in 2021) and Piura 8,262.80 ha (7,414.24 ha), who represented 44% and 39.7% of the total, respectively.
Peruvian Grape Exports Increase by 13% Despite Unrest (Jan 17)
Despite the political turmoil in Peru at the end of 2022, the Association of Producers and Exporters of Table Grapes of Peru (Provid) predicts a 13% increase for the 2022/23 second harvest estimate. This forecast for the 8.2 kg cartons shows that Peru will export 73M cartons. In the 2021/22 season there were 64.4M. This positive update from Provid shows that the grape industry is recovering and that Peru will become the world's largest exporter of grapes.
China
Data Analysis: Rising Production of Muscat Grapes Causes Chinese Prices to Fall 33% MoM (Jan 16)
Fresh grape prices in China have decreased significantly due to a rise in domestic production. Wholesale prices of Muscat grapes in Laoting County, Hebei, fell from USD 2.21/kg (CNY 15) on the 12th of December 2022 to USD 1.47/kg (CNY 10) on the 9th of January, a 33% MoM reduction. During the 2022/23 season, Chinese fresh grape production could rise to 12.6M MT, 13% more than the previous season, with Hebei and Xinjiang provinces set to account for the highest quantity of fresh grapes in local markets. Demand for Chinese Muscat grapes continues to grow, resulting in steady production growth of the variety this year.
South Africa
Data Analysis: Price of South African Grape Plummet 55% WoW on High Availability (Jan 20)
The price for grapes in South Africa has started to suddenly go down due to an increase in supply that has the market on full availability. As a result, the price plummeted by 55% WoW from USD 13.32/kg to USD 5.93/kg in W3 of 2023. The USD 13.32/kg W2 price is also a 49% YoY decrease from the same week last year. The price drop is due to the increased supply of table grapes in the domestic market. Another contributing factor is that a greater share of the grapes is delivered to the local market as international shipments are rigged, creating a larger availability in the local market. With the Western Cape table grapes production region about to start its harvest, the table grape supply is expected to increase domestically in the coming weeks.
Spain
Data Analysis: Low Domestic Supply Drives Fresh Grape Prices up in Spain (Jan 16)
Wholesale prices of fresh grapes in Spain increased sharply towards the end of December 2022 due to tight domestic supply. Prices of Red Globe grapes in Madrid rose to USD 2.72/kg (€2.5) on the 26 of December 2022, a 19% increase compared to the previous week. The Spanish table grape season ended towards the end of December, resulting in tight supplies as the month concluded. The popularity of the Red Globe variety, resulted in greater demand, driving prices up. Prices could drop slightly in coming weeks as imported varieties from Peru begin to fill the Spanish market.
Germany
Peruvian and South African Grapes in Germany (Jan 19)
In the German markets, the offer for grapes was very varied, with an increasing presence of IFG and Arra varieties. The range mainly consisted of South African and Peruvian grape products.
Azerbaijan
High Prices for Moldovan Grapes in a Supermarket in Baku (Jan 20)
Gheorghe Gaber, the chairman of the Association of Grape Producers and Exporters of the Republic of Moldova, said that in January, Moldovan grapes of the “Moldova” variety are presented in the Bolmart supermarket chain in Baku. They are packed in plastic trays and flow-packs while the retail price is relatively high at USD 3/kg (5.3 manats). Nevertheless, according to the employees of the market, located in the center of the capital of Azerbaijan, this product is well known to buyers and is in high demand. Azerbaijan has been relatively small for many years, a few hundred tons per season, but a stable market for Moldovan suppliers of Moldova grapes. As in many other eastern markets (Kazakhstan, Mongolia, etc.), the demand for it increases from November and is relatively high throughout the winter.
Georgia
Table Grape Imports to Georgia Have Fallen From a Record High in 2021 (Jan 19)
In the last two years, table grapes have become quite popular in Georgia. The main window for both local sales and imports is the last quarter of the year. This period usually accounts for 50% of all annual imports. While 2022 has been a difficult year overall for local table grape producers, imports of foreign grapes have declined compared to 2021. Georgia imported 990MT of table grapes in the fourth quarter of 2022, down from 1,135MT in 2021, according to the latest data. Interestingly, import prices in Georgian currency have remained very stable over the years. Thus, the price of grapes did not in itself cause a reduction in imports. It appears that despite a dismal start to the 2022 season, rapid growth in local production is outpacing growth in local demand. Thus, import volumes have fallen from the record high of 2021. However, the volume in the fourth quarter of 2022 is much higher than in the same period of any other year except 2021.
