Brazilian table grape exports are forecast to decrease by 10-20 per cent this season with less fruit heading to both Europe and the US, following higher rainfall levels and a shift in the country’s marketing strategy.
“The general consensus seems to peg exports at 4,700-5,200 containers for 2009, which is down at least 10 per cent and possibly as high as 20 per cent on last year,” Geoff Green of Capespan told Fruitnet.com.
“The weather has not been at all ideal in the months leading up to July with higher-than-normal rainfall levels. The number of bunches is expected to be a lot less, maybe by 20 per cent, and exportable tonnage per hectare is also expected to drop to somewhere between 22 and 32 tonnes per hectare.”
Following poor export results during the past few seasons, particularly in the US, and the persistently high value of the Brazilian real, Mr Green said exporters will likely supply more volume to the domestic market in 2009.
