Greek grapes set for early start to campaign

Greece’s Youphoria Fruits is preparing for a smaller grape crop this year, according to general manager George Kallitsis, in part due to the premature start to the season. 

“The harvest began much earlier than usual,” he told Fruitnet, “with varieties like Sugar Crisp being picked as early as 5 August, instead of the typical late August start.”

This trend has continued, he said, including for varieties such as Sweet Globe, Sweet Celebration and Jack’s Salute. 

“Currently, the markets are saturated with grapes from Spain, Italy and even Egypt,” he explained. “As a result, we’ve decided to concentrate on regions where the crop is just starting. We anticipate beginning packing at the end of next week, with distribution starting mid-September and continuing until the end of October.”

The company’s key varieties are Sugar Crisp, Sweet Globe, Crimson Seedless and Jack’s Salute, with discussions ongoing with customers in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy.

“Simultaneously, we are monitoring the upcoming kiwifruit crop, which is expected to be similar in volume to last year,” revealed Kallitsis. “The fruit size should be a bit smaller, which is favourable, as last year’s larger sizes presented challenges, especially for retailers who prefer medium- to small-sized fruit.”

According to Kallitsis, the weather remains warmer than usual, but the company is hopeful of cooler conditions as September progresses, in order to ensure a smoother harvesting period.

This year, Youphoria plans to export kiwifruit to Thailand and South Korea through its existing partners, with the possibility of extending to India.

“However, the ongoing Red Sea attacks are impacting trade routes to these destinations,” said Kallitsis. “Unfortunately, Asia no longer holds the same potential for the kiwifruit business as it once did. In China, the ability to keep pace with price increases has diminished and import volumes have significantly decreased in favour of local production.”