This month, the Grapa Brazil team hosted Arra Technical Days, an event showcasing the innovation, resilience and adaptability of Arra grape varieties in Brazil, writes Georgios Bitsakos, head of brand marketing at Grapa Varieties
Over four immersive days on 6-9 November, 600 attendees from all licensed Arra grower companies gathered to deepen their knowledge of grape varieties produced in Brazil through intensive, hands-on sessions.
The event offered a unique platform for small-group learning, fostering personalised attention and meaningful discussions.
Over the past two years, the Arra family in Brazil has achieved substantial expansion. To ensure alignment across the community, this year’s event focused exclusively on managing Arra Sweeties, a flagship variety that showcases Brazil’s unique capacity for year-round grape production.
Augusto Prado, president of Arra Brazil, described the innovative approach: “We set up seven stations, each at a different phenological stage. At each stop, we addressed the key production processes needed to achieve optimal results.”
Guests experienced the entire growth cycle, from budbreak to harvest, in one tour, a feat possible thanks to Brazil’s distinct climate and to Arra Sweeties’ unique growing traits. The stations served as a comprehensive learning hub, with experts covering multiple aspects of the production process, ensuring growers are equipped to sustain and enhance their success.
A dynamic industry against a backdrop of challenges
Arra Technical Days occurred at a pivotal time for the global grape market. While the Northern Hemisphere harvest reaches its end, the Southern Hemisphere season is gaining momentum, and Brazil is uniquely positioned as the only region producing grapes year-round.
The São Francisco River Valley, the heart of Brazil’s grape production, benefits from a tropical climate with an average annual temperature of 26°C and abundant water resources.
However, 2024 has been a challenging year for Brazilian growers. The first semester was marked by extreme weather, including over 750mm of rain during February and March, which significantly impacted yields. According to Prado, the second semester shows a production decline of around 25 per cent due to the lingering effects of these conditions.
Despite these setbacks, Brazil’s grape exports to Europe are ramping up, driven by strong demand and limited supplies from traditional markets like Italy, Spain and Greece, which were affected by heatwaves.
While hurdles persist around the world, Brazilian grapes are capitalising on market opportunities with a growing foothold in Europe and steady, strong domestic demand.
Arra varieties: the perfect match
Arra varieties continue to demonstrate exceptional resilience and adaptability, enabling Brazilian growers to navigate the challenges posed by unpredictable weather.
Arra Sweeties and Arra Cherry Crush are ideal for mixed punnets, sharing a similar size, shape and perfect sugar-acid balance. Both are a reliable staple for domestic and export markets, consistently delivering top-quality yields under all conditions.
Arra Cherry Crush, with its vibrant red hue and high Brix, is Brazil’s latest standout. As the first source of commercial volumes, Brazil is setting the stage for global producers in Italy, Greece and the US.
With yields exceeding 30 tonnes per hectare and specialty mix packaging enhancing their appeal, these varieties are driving premium market demand.
As the global grape market navigates complex challenges, the resilience and innovation of Arra varieties are of ever-growing importance. During the event, while walking between the rows, seeing and tasting the upcoming varieties, everyone celebrated not only the achievements of today but also laid the groundwork for tomorrow’s successes.
