Grape producers in the Spanish region of Murcia are confident of a strong campaign this season, with large volumes and a high quality crop anticipated, despite an expected 20 days delays to harvesting.
Regional fresh produce association Asaja Murcia said that growers were “optimistic” for the prospects for the 2010 campaign, with forecasts for both production volumes and product quality said to be “promising”.
However, the organisation said that the start of the campaign was likely to be delayed by almost 20 days as a result of inclement weather, including hailstones, that affected parts of Murcia earlier this year.
Early seedless varieties, such as Crimson and Sugraone, dominate the 6,500ha of production in Murcia, which is concentrated in the areas of Alhama, Totana, Blanca and Abarán and totals around 100,000 tonnes each year.
The UK, Germany, France, Portugal and the Netherlands are Murcia’s principal export markets for table grapes.