Market Characteristics:
– Major producers and exporters: Chile, Peru, United States, China, Turkey, Spain, South Africa, Australia
– Global table grape production in 2016: 21.0 million metric tons
– China’s contribution to global production: 9.7 million metric tons
– Leading table grape exporter: Chile, exporting over 800,000 metric tons
– Growth in trade: Strong growth since the 1950s, with recent growth from Southern Hemisphere and developing economies
North America and Europe:
– Commonly sold table grape varieties: Sultana, Flame, Muscat, Almeria, Niagara, Concord
– Largest producer in the U.S.: California, with over 85,000 acres under cultivation
– Varietals grown in California: Over 70, with bulk shipments limited to mainly seedless varieties
– Domestic market descriptors: Mainly sold as generic green, red, or black varieties
– USDA data: California grows a dozen mainly seedless varieties
Japan, Korea, and East Asia:
– Premium gift products: Domestically produced table grapes in Japan, Korea, and East Asia
– Popular table grape varieties in Japan: Kyoho, Delaware, Pione
– Record-setting sale: In July 2015, a bunch of Ruby Roman grapes sold for 1 million yen
– Philippines market: Primarily imports table grapes, with the red cardinal variety grown in the Ilocos region
– Source: Fresh Deciduous Fruit (Apples, Grapes & Pears): World Markets and Trade (PDF)
Technological Advancements:
– Cold storage and refrigerated container technology: Key for international trade in table grapes
– Labor-intensive production: Hand harvesting at peak ripeness required
– Quality maintenance: Grapes must be sorted, packaged, and cooled quickly
– Transportation requirements: Investment in processing facilities, shipping, and logistics
– Production cycle: New plantations take 2–3 years to become productive
Regulatory Standards:
– Codex Standard: Adoption to Philippine National Standard for Table Grapes
– Importance of field data gathering
– Source: Philippine Information Agency, Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards
– Quality control: Standards for table grape production and trade
– Compliance and certification: Meeting international standards for exportation.
Table grapes are grapes intended for consumption while fresh, as opposed to grapes grown for wine production, juice production, or for drying into raisins.
Vitis vinifera table grapes can be in the form of either seeded or non-seeded varietals and range widely in terms of colour, size, sweetness and adaptability to local growing conditions.
Common commercially available table grape varieties such as Thompson Seedless and Flame Seedless are favoured by growers for their high yield and relative resistance to damage during shipment. Other less common varietals such as Cotton Candy, Kyoho or Pione are custom hybrids bred for size, appearance and specific flavour characteristics.