Field day in Sunraysia provides Australian table grape growers a close look at red variety
Grapa Varieties held its first Australian Arra Fire Crunch field day on 24 January 2025 with more than 80 table grape growers attending the event in Sunraysia.
Growers gathered at Alpha Fresh Australia in Irymple, one of Australia’s largest ARRA growers and marketers, to get a first-hand look at the vibrant red Arra variety. They were also able to sample some Arra Honey Pop, the very early season white variety. The first session of the field day was exclusively attended by licensed marketers and growers before the second session hosted all other interested growers, industry figures and retailers.
Arra Australia manager Stephan Nel thanked attendees for taking time out of the busy harvest season to attend. He said attendees had the opportunity to view two distinct vineyard blocks.
“The first block, a first-crop patch ready for harvest, showcased a stunning fire-red colour. The second block, a second-crop patch, highlighted the variety’s crop potential, delivering 35 tonnes per hectare, berry sizes of 22mm+, and vibrant red colour, also ready for spot picking,” said Nel.
“While growers appreciated the colour and crop load, what truly stood out for many, was the exceptional crunch of the berries, a quality perfectly fitting for a variety named Arra Fire Crunch. Attendees expressed amazement at the crisp texture, with some even declaring it the crispest red grape they had ever eaten.”
The Arra Fire Crunch harvest window falls just before Crimson Seedless according to Nel, one of its many advantageous characteristics.
“Its crunchy texture contributes to impressive hanging ability on the vine, while its strong cold storage capability ensures it is perfect for export markets. The future looks bright for this exciting new red variety,” said Nel.
