W7 Grapes Update: Chile Expects 63.4 Million Boxes in 2023/24 Table Grape Season, Moldova Leads Global Grape Production Per Capita in 2023, and Nova Scotia Grape Growers Face Prolonged Recovery from 2023 Polar Vortex

Chilean Table Grape Season Projections for 2023/24 Season

Chile's table grape season for 2023/24 is expected to produce 63.4 million boxes, with new varieties like Prime, Sweet Celebration, and Midnight Beauty gaining ground. The current export program has started well, with Chile exporting 2 million boxes in W52, a significant increase from the previous campaign. Furthermore, 74% of this total, equivalent to 1.4 million boxes, has been sent to the United States (US). In W3, the US market registered 5.5 million kilograms (kg) harvest, an increase from the previous campaign. However, the table grape industry faces challenges such as varietal substitution, increased competition from Peru, water scarcity in the northern region, and financial constraints.

Peruvian Grape Exports Surge by 40% in Q1 2023/24 Campaign

Peruvian grape exports in the Q1 of the 2023/24 campaign reached USD 1.05 million, a 40% year-over-year (YoY) increase. This is partly due to climate change, such as Cyclone Yaku and El Niño, and increased demand from Asian countries before the Chinese New Year. Peru was the first exporter in the world in the 2022/23 campaign. The country exports over 50 grape varieties, with white seedless being the most popular. The main destination for these grapes was the US, followed by the Netherlands, Mexico, Hong Kong, China, the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Spain, Taiwan, and South Korea. The top 20 markets include Hong Kong, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala. Peru's main grape exporting regions are Ica, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, and Arequipa. In 2023, Peru exported grapes for over USD 1.7 million, a 30% YoY increase.

Moldova Leads in Grape Production per Capita Globally

Moldova has claimed the top spot in grape production per capita, producing 173.4 kg per person annually, according to InfoMarket citing Data Pandas data. Following Moldova in the top ten are North Macedonia with 160.61 kg, Chile with 140.75 kg, Italy with 135.71 kg, Spain with 127.18 kg, France with 92.83 kg, Greece with 91.96 kg, New Zealand with 83.36 kg, Portugal with 75.2 kg, and Albania with 71.42 kg. However, not all grapes are used for winemaking.

Moldovan Grape Exports Surged by 33% YoY in 2023

Table grape exports of Moldova saw an 11% YoY increase in volume and a 33% YoY increase in value in 2023, reaching USD 75.67 million. The country expanded its export destinations from 23 to 33 countries, including Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia, Italy, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, and Albania. Despite EU tariff-free access, Moldovan grape exporters must meet EU quality and safety standards.

Nova Scotia Grape Growers Face Prolonged Recovery After 2023 Polar Vortex Devastation

Grape growers in Nova Scotia, Canada, are recovering from the polar vortex in 2023. It will take a few years for growers to return to their crop levels before 2023. The cold snap in Feb-24 caused significant damage to vines, with about half a crop of hybrid varieties and no crop in vinifera varieties. Vine death was influenced by previous health, virus involvement, and tile drainage. If only 50 to 60% of a vineyard is recoverable, it would be better to replace them all, as having different aged vines makes management challenging and reduces wine quality. Growers are encouraged to keep their vine production to 75 to 80% for more recovery time.