TThe international table grape juice industry came together on March 17 for the Online Global Grape Congress, streamed live in two separate parts of Melbourne and London.
Focusing on the Asian market, the first part includes discussions on India, Australia’s export growth, South African promotions on the Chinese market and the Korean trade sector.
Nitin Agrawal of India’s Euro Fruits said that the domestic market was a great untapped opportunity for the Indian table grape industry.
“We are seeing a huge change in the coming years in the domestic market, which favors brands of grapes,” he said. “India’s grape industry is lacking new varieties. It will take some time for them to come in – partly due to industry fragmentation. But we expect this to improve in the coming years, and offer premium opportunities.”
Clare Lee of Korean retailer Emart said the lack of tastings in the store due to Covid-19 has limited its ability to promote new varieties to consumers in recent years, but she believed the trend was clear.
“We are following the global grape trend, with IP varieties expanding rapidly,” she said. “We are trying to introduce different varieties of grapes to the consumer. These days, when you visit Emart, five to six varieties are displayed on the shelf. Just three years ago, we only had green seedless and red globe. The growth in new table. Grape varieties is a welcome development for us. It helps us to create more excitement around the category and we are looking for ways to promote it in the business. “
Back in China, Vivian Chen from San Miguel explained how the exporter worked to maximize his success in the country where he opened a new office.
“For younger consumers, grapes don’t just have to have good taste and packaging,” Chen said. “They just need to be able to buy on the touch of a phone. Plus, health messages are important. They want products that are good for their body and skin.”
The future of grapes
The second half of the Global Grape Congress includes an analysis of a whole range of challenges, including rising costs and logistical issues affecting the European grape market, with a particular focus on the UK.
Live discussions were held about the future of the grapes when it comes to breeding and marketing, as well as about the urgent sustainability.
Andy Higgins of US breeder IFG emphasized the role that breeders can play in a rapidly changing world. “I think the investments that are being made throughout the chain are significant, and the challenges are significant,” he said. “We have seen rising input costs, rising challenges with production, transport and logistics. Breeding companies are providing solutions to many of these challenges. The impact we can have on the overall success of the supply chain is significant and the only way to do that is. introduce new cultivars and new varieties that meet some of these challenges. “
Shachar Karniel of the Arra Breeding Program of Grapa Varieties said that increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions, including late and abundant rainfall, showed the wisdom of Arra’s early efforts to rest for rain tolerance.
“It’s not enough to be early, it’s not enough to be good, you have to be at least tolerant of the rain,” he said. “Climate change has proven that our vision was right. When it comes to unexpected rainfall, the Arra 15 is very tolerant. At Grapa, we are looking to produce the same level of resistance in different colors and at different times of the year.”
Higgins said rain resistance was also a focus at IFG, with Sweet Celebration and Sugar Crisp showing good tolerance.
“Table grapes are also one of the most labor-intensive crops around,” he added. “So as growers, we have an obligation to rethink how our varieties can contribute. What cutting techniques are required, what thinning is required, what kind of post-harvest handling is required to really produce the fruit. A punnation successful? Today? “It depends a lot on the potatoes, the market and the warehouse, but we know that there is a genetic component to it.”
Breeding species to survive drier weather and due to longer, more intense heat waves is an equally formidable challenge, according to Karniel.
“We are trying to see varieties in extreme regions for their adaptability,” he said. “But you need to have low-chilling varieties – this is the main factor for breeding resistance to drought conditions. The varieties need to wake up slightly in the spring, and for this you need low-chilling varieties. Secondly, especially for the white varieties. You have to be sure not to get sunburn. “
California Table Grape Commissioner Alyson Dias has unveiled research showing that food choices have changed significantly due to Covid-19 as consumers continue to seek to strengthen their immune systems, creating opportunities for health messages around grapes.
The same study, she said, showed that 86 percent of respondents who switched to online during the pandemic continue to do so, making digital forms of communication essential.
Speaking of organic grapes, Volkert Engelsman of the Dutch organic supplier Eosta revealed that the organic grape category is still very underdeveloped.
“People have tried in the past, but the varieties were not there and the growing conditions were challenging,” he explains. “But now with these new varieties, which are more elastic and have a natural berry size and natural color and do not need Dormex to start the season, it naturally helps tremendously to produce grape bio. And because the market is evolving fast, with a 25 percent organic market share ambition, defined by the EU, suddenly has enormous growth potential for organic grapes. ”
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