Table grape imports from the southern hemisphere ramp up

As the winter days come to an end in the Northern hemisphere, peak production of grapes will start ramping up in volume from Peru, Chile and South Africa for importer Divine Flavor. The grower/distributor anticipates a strong second-half of the season on premium red and white seedless grapes coming from those regions which strategically connects with its new vineyards in Jalisco, Mexico at Grupo Alta.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

“The next six to eight weeks should bring plenty of opportunity to promote premium red seedless varieties at very attractive prices delivering great value for consumers,” said Antonio Escobar, grapes category manager of Divine Flavor. “White seedless grape supplies will also continue steadily and we’re expecting decent volumes of Sweet Globe and Autumn Crisp coming from Peru, Chile and South Africa.”

Divine Flavor has been involved with the import deal for the past five years and the company has established strong roots with growers such as Ecosac located in Puira, Peru and Santa Elena and Unifrutti who have growing regions throughout Chile.

“Our partners in Chile and Peru are really top-notch and not only have the ability to meet industry requirements but they also have the passion to grow grapes just like we do in Mexico,” says Escobar. “We’ve been able to complement each other to build a great partnership that delivers excellent grapes from November through July.”

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

March will see more shipments of specialty varieties such as the company’s Jellyberries and Candy Hearts, followed by the Chilean Muscat Beauty. Divine Flavor will transition to its Jalisco season at Grupo Alta the first weeks of April starting with Timpson, followed by Sweet Globe and Autumn Crisp, all premium white seedless, and finally in this region, Cotton Candy.

“Whether it’s our continued development with our partners in South America or internally at our farms in Mexico, we are always looking for ways to improve flavor and the eating experience because in the end, we all agree that’s what matters the most.”

The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.

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