US California grapes white on vine

The California Table Grape Commission (CTGC) has announced that the state shipped a record 101.5m cartons of fresh table grapes during the 2012 campaign, which lasted from early May through until January of this year.

California, which produces 99 per cent of the commercial fresh grapes grown in the country, sent 41 per cent of the crop to export markets, the CTGC revealed.

'Grapes from California are a popular choice in the US and around the world,' said Kathleen Nave, president of the CTGC. 'We constantly seek new and interesting ways to remind people of the benefits of eating grapes from California and to motivate increased purchase.'

The new California table grape season is now just two months away, with retail, consumer and foodservice campaigns planned for May.