China’s increase in production and exports buoying world totals for 2023/24 season
World table grape production is forecast to increase by 490,000 tonnes to 28.4m tonnes in 2023/22 fuelled by increased supply from China.
According to a USDA report, China’s investment in improved production practices, including crop protection, plant breeding, cultivation, and storage technology, has improved fruit quality and extended the supply season of table grapes across nearly all provinces. These improvements combined with good growing conditions are set to increase production to 13.5m, a key driver of increasing global production volume for the 2023/24 marketing year (12 months to 31 May 2024 for the Northern Hemisphere and 30 September Southern Hemisphere).
The report expects world exports to remain nearly unchanged at 3.7m tonnes with greater shipments from Chile and China offsetting losses from Turkey and the US.
China’s increased production is forecasted to grow exports by 23 per cent to 480,000 tonnes as these higher supplies will boost shipments to Asia markets.
Chile production is also projected to increase this season after abundant winter rains are set to boost yield to 745,000 tonnes. This increase in supply is expected to offset losses from continued declining acreage and boost exports by 68,000 tonnes to 565,000.
Indian production is also anticipated to improve slightly up 100,000 tonnes to 3m while Peru’s production is expected to remain steady at 776,000 tonnes. South Africa’s production is expected to recover from last season’s weather affected losses, rising 24,000 tonnes to 342,000.
In contrast, production in Turkey is expected to drop 320,000 tonnes to 1.9m due to crop losses from downy mildew disease in the Aegean region after delayed rains. Exports are expected to decrease because of the lower supply, dropping by 47,000 tonnes to 180,000.
The USDA report said the EU will also see losses due to heavy rains in top producer Italy in May and June. Lower supplies combined with persistent high freight and transportation costs are likely to decrease export numbers by 23,000 tonnes to 150,000.
Although US production is forecast to rise 67,000 tonnes to 878,000, exports are expected to decline 37,000 tonnes to 210,000 on reduced exportable supplies.
