It's a mixed bag of produce that finds it way to the UK at this time of year, although not in terms of varieties. For a long time seedless grapes have been top of this country's most wanted list and despite murmurings of a seeded uprising, this trend looks well placed to continue. With respect to product origination however, there is definite variation. Spain, Italy and Greece all play a major role throughout the European summer, and in varying degrees provide the UK with significant volumes.
When the Journal last reported on European grape it was a situation beset by difficulties in supply. Greece in particular had what Neil Denny, Tesco account manager for grapes at Richard Hochfeld, refers to as possibly the worst season on record and although estimates on this uncertain time vary, unseasonable rain afflicted production areas leaving the grape harvest as much as 50 per cent down. In some parts, says Denny, producers were left with just a nine-day harvest and problems with shelf-life of the delicate crop subsequently ensued.
Fortunately forecasts for this year are somewhat brighter. Mimi Spilopoulou who offers procurement and technical service to grape producers around the world reports that thus far the quality of Greek produce is excellent. “If the weather stays fine producers can expect to begin harvesting on August 10,” she says, “and with the superb quality and good sizes that we're seeing now, we'd like to believe that we'll get a very good price.”
Greek grapes are the last of the European sendings with the season generally running from August to November and Costas Mathiopoulos, managing director of Mathiopoulos Ltd points to the variation in the growing areas of Corinth, Crete and the northern region of Kavalla as factors that enable the season to run for this length of time, along with the climate and favourable soil.
Despite a promising forecast for this year's grape, there is still time for the worst to happen. “There are a number of factors which could well impact on the grape crop,” he says. “Temperatures that are too hot or too much rain are the most likely variables, but at the moment in terms of quality and quantity it's all going well. If nothing goes wrong before the start of the season then I predict that we'll be in for a very good harvest.”
Denny agrees. “We're in exactly the same position as we were this time last year,” he says, “and so there's still time for a repeat of last year. This year's crop should have no problems being re-established and, hopefully we won't have a repeat of last year's situation. Everything is looking fine so far, although current estimates put the crop at being seven-10 days late ñ but it's still warm out there so that could well change.”
Spanish product, meanwhile, has also been slow to start and sugar levels within the fruit have been reluctant to develop. “With the tail end of the Israeli season to contend with it's a while before Spanish product enjoys full control of the situation,” says Lisons' director John Grieves. “The season started a few weeks ago but there has been a slight shortage in supplies. The quality of product that is coming in now is fine, but there were initial problems ensuring that the sugars were OK.”
Denny agrees: “The problem in Spain was that it was too warm at the start of the season, but now that harvesting is in full swing Superior Seedless is exceeding specifications.”
If Spanish temperatures have been too high, then Italy has experienced completely the opposite conditions, a situation which has led to serious damage to this year's grape crop. “The problem was caused by a widespread and heavy frost on April 8,” Denny confirms. “A lot of producers had their crops destroyed on that one day. Current estimates put the damage at a 40 per cent crop reduction. The bad weather arrived after flowering and into bunch formation, so big volumes were lost in the very early stages.”
Despite the late start in individual countries and damage to the Italian product, when it comes to European grapes as a whole, importers and producers overall appear optimistic. And well they might. Thompson Seedless has long been a favourite grape from the UK's point of view ñ and it's a variety that now accounts for the majority of Greek production. The UK has long been the dominant recipient, although alternative markets are now increasing in importance. Mathiopoulos adds: “The UK has traditionally been the main market for us and it still accounts for the major share of exports. But in recent years the continent has become increasingly important.
“The UK has had a preference for seedless grapes for a while and we don't really expect to be able to increase consumption there, but that's not true of places such as Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. In the past these markets have always preferred grapes with seeds in them and they also like the product to be much less sweet, but increasingly they are interested in seedless grapes so there remains a lot of room for growth because demand has not yet reached a peak.”
Spilopoulou is also looking for additional markets for Greek produce. “This year we hope to establish markets in the US and we are particularly aiming to improve our systems in order that we meet the necessary requirements,” she says.
Despite the market dominance of white grape, there has, says Denny, been evidence that red seedless grape, once a niche area, is steadily increasing in popularity. “Sales have been strong for red grape and that has been led by the good quality fruit that was available earlier in the year. Stable price points have allowed consumer confidence to remain high, and red seedless grape is definitely selling at a much quicker rate than previously. Five years ago Tesco would sell one box of red to every seven boxes of white but now the figure is more like one box of red to every three boxes of white and the good news is that it's not taking away from white,” he says.
With demand increasing and the supply situation far more stable, everything looks to be in order for European grapes, although a note of hesitancy remains. “It has been an unusual season,” says Grieves. “We had supply difficulties with nectarines and peaches from Spain so I'm not sure what's going to happen with grapes ñ It will be interesting to see.
“We have had a few difficulties in the last few weeks,” Denny admits, “but as long as there's no rain in Greece then I'd say we're on track for a very good summer.”
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