Demand for INIA Grape-One, the first table grape variety developed in Chile, is growing steadily according to its developers.
There are 270ha of production in Chile, spread principally across the regions of Coquimbo and Valparaíso, with a further 100ha due to be planted in 2017. Volumes are forecast to reach 1m cartons by 2020.
The variety is now being grown commercially – or has been planted –in 14 countries, including 50ha in Peru, 30ha in India and smaller plantings in Brazil, Spain, Italy and Greece.
Acreage is forecast to reach 1,000ha in the Northern Hemisphere and 1,000ha in the Southern Hemisphere within six years.
“Once we reach our target of 2,000ha we will evaluate where the variety grows best and from there decide how production is distributed globally in order to avoid supply peaks,” said Luis Fernández, general manager of ANA Chile, the company that manages the variety.
“So far it has been very well received in the market, and there is a lot of pressure on companies to increase their production immediately.”
The grape is currently being sold in the US and UK, as well as in various Asian markets including China, Korea and Japan.
