Japan lifts restrictions on Australian grape imports

Japanese consumers will be able to buy the full range of Australian table grapes from next season, following the removal of varietal restrictions on imports. The Australian Government said the expanded market access, announced on Wednesday after a long campaign, is a win for Australia’s table grape industry.

For the past 10 years, Australia has only been able to export three varieties of table grapes to Japan – Crimson Seedless, Red Globe and Thompson Seedless. Now, Australian table grape producers will be able to ship more than 130 table grape varieties grown in the country to Japan for the upcoming table grape export season, which runs from December to May.

Australian Table Grape Association CEO Jeff Scott said the industry’s campaign had been a long time in the making, and the achievement would transform table grape exports to Japan.

“Interest for Australian table grapes in Japan has increased steadily over the past 10 years, since technical market access was granted in 2014,” Scott said. “However, our export market value has been limited by the varietal restrictions in place.

“Australian producers and exporters have sustained strong trade relationships with Japanese importers and buyers, and we know Japanese consumers are eager to take advantage of all Australia’s table grape varieties on offer – which, after a lengthy wait, they’ll now be able to.”

Table grape varietal access is expected to increase the export market value by A$30m over the next few years, to A$50m– a far cry from the initial 16 containers sent in Australia’s first year of table grape exports to Japan.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Murray Watt highlighted the importance of the move for both Australia’s table grape industry and agriculture sector at large.

“Japan is Australia’s second-largest market for agriculture, forestry, and fisheries products and a valuable market for premium Australian fresh fruit,” Watt said. “The lifting of these restrictions is an important development for the industry as Japan is a stable and sophisticated market providing long term growth opportunities.”

The achievement follows on from last year’s success in removing varietal restrictions for Australian mangoes.