The Mexican table grape sector is anticipating a stable crop for the 2012 season following a very good winter.
“The climate has been ideal with very good temperatures so we have very good quality coming,” Juan Alberto Laborín of the Sonora Table Grape Producers’ Association (Aalpum) told Fruitnet.
Although Laborín said it is too early to talk about volume, he indicated that the crop is looking good.
The bulk of the export crop will be distributed in North America, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia (primarily China, Malaysia and India) as well as New Zealand.
Depending on competition and fruit sizes, Aalpum also expects to supply to various European markets, including the UK, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.
“We think Mexico will have a window in Europe this year but it always depends on fruit sizes and competition from Chile, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco,” Laborín noted.
With most Mexican grapes still ending up in the US and Canadian Aalpum said the industry is working hard to find alternative destinations to avoid saturating the North American market.
