The California Table Grape Commission has unveiled a new variety chart for the 2008 season.
The brightly coloured wallchart, pictured, features full-colour photography of all the major varieties available from the Golden State this season, with details for shippers and receivers of their harvest calendar.
Commenting on the 2008 campaign, Jim Howard of the commission said: “The season is proceeding normally with nothing out of the ordinary in any way.”
But figures from the California field office of the US department of agriculture’s national agriculture statistics service point to some concerns. The service’s figures for July forecast total table grape production from 82,000 acres of 800,000 tonnes - about one per cent above last season’s volume level.
“The 2008 California grape crop is shaping up to be an average crop, despite frost damage that occurred when unusually cold temperatures hit California during the middle of April,” the service said in a statement. “Bunch counts are good and comparable to last year, and crop development is about six to 10 days behind normal. Lack of water has also been a concern for many growers in the southern San Joaquin Valley.”
Picking in the south of the valley is now in full swing and, at the California Grape & Tree Fruit League, president Barry Bedwell is bullish about prospects for the rest of the season.
He said: “We did have a widespread frost on April 20-21 throughout the state and that did have an impact on table grape production. But it was very spotty in nature and so it has not affected overall volumes.”
Since then, production conditions have progressed in line with recent season’s averages, although there was a worrying heatwave earlier in the month. “We did have a heat spike on July 9-10,” said Bedwell. “Temperatures rose to 110-112°F (43-44°C), but it was short in duration. Picking did not get started in the San Joaquin Valley until early July, but the campaign is moving near normal now and quality is very good.”
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