Posts Tagged “Chilean grapes”
The Peruvian table grape season is being wrapped up by Divine Flavor of Nogales, AZ as the importer switches to Chilean grapes.
Divine Flavor’s Chilean grape program lasts into April, when production switches to Jalisco, Mexico.
Early varieties from Chile include thompsons, sugraones, sweet globes and other greens.
Chile exported about 50 million boxes last year, about 60 percent of which went to the U.S.
The Chilean grape season could be down as much as 15 percent this season, in good part due to drought conditions. Still, the company sees decent volumes in the coming months.
“This year, we’ll have more Muscat Beauty, which is a great tasting hybrid,” Gonzalo Mery of Santa Elena, a Chilean grower that supplies Divine Flavor, said in a press release. “We’ve also planted more autumn crisp and sweet globe, both being specialty and high-flavored greens.”
Peruvian growers for Divine Flavor have also planted more highly-flavored varieties. Agricola Don Ricardo plans to plant more Jellyberries and Gummyberries.
“This movement and our decisions are being backed up by data and testing blocks trials,” Arturo Hoffmann, commercial manager for Agricola Don Ricardo, said in the release. “Next season, we anticipate having 85 percent of our production to be of the specialty, high-flavored varieties.”
California table grape shipments for the remainder of the season will definitely be lighter and some observers are expressing concerns about late season quality. The California season in winding down, while South America is ramping up.
The California Table Grape Commission claims there should be good volume through early January.
While fewer grapes remain in storage compared to a year ago, plenty of fruit remains to be shipped. Typically around 46 percent of California grapes are shipped after October 1st.
The USDA reports through early November truck shipments of central California grapes totaled 55.2 million 19-pound cartons, up slightly from 54.6 million cartons the same time a year ago.
The government report indicates 13.2 million cartons of grapes remained in cold storage through October, down 28 percent from 18.1 million cartons in storage at the same time a year ago, but similar to 13.56 million two years ago.
While some later varieties of grapes were still being picked, the harvest is expected to be over in early December.
At 115.6 million 19-pound cartons, the 2018 California grape crop was the second largest on record. The 2019 grape crop, estimated at 109 million cartons, is in line with the four years before the 2018 crop.
The commission says about 2 million cartons of California grapes are expected to be shipped in January.
Very light volumes of imported Peruvian grapes were reported in the U.S. in early November and those arrivals will increase toward the year’s end.
****
Capespan North America of Gloucester N.J. reports U.S. imports of South American grapes is on an earlier track this season due to a small crop in California. The company already is receiving Peruvian grapes at American ports.
Peruvian white seedless grapes are particularly in big demand because of concerns over California white seedless quality. Peruvian red seedless grapes will be arriving within days, as Capesapan feels California red will be finished by mid-December.
Pandol Bros. of Delano, CA has finished its California grape harvest and recalls last season when a lot of fruit was picked. However, much of it then was either not sold in the normal time and beyond or was outright dumped.
While Pando is predicting a 15 percent increase in total Peruvian grape exports this season, the company is less certain about Chilean grape volume. Some forecasts are above last season’s 83 million cartons, while others are below it.
Chile is also focusing increasingly on the mid- to late-section of the import season, with Peru focusing the earlier stages.
Vanguard Direct of Bakersfield, CA also was expecting an earlier than normal end to the California season.
Vanguard Direct will begin its Peruvian import season with arrivals the last week of December or early January.
Early season imported grapes from South America have been lower, although with the arrival of March volume is improving.
To date, Chilean grapes imported through early March were down 32 percent compared to last year, reports the USDA, with imported Peruvian grapes being down 46 percent compared to the same time a year ago.
A Pro*Act market report dated March 6th notes imported grape supplies from Chile and Peru were increasing and quality was good in early March. A consistent volume of imported grapes is expected through early April, when the transition of Mexican grapes starts crossing the U.S. border in mid-April.
On March 6th the USDA’s Market News Service reported prices for extra large Chilean red seedless grapes at $20 to $24 per carton, up from $16 to $20 per carton the same day a year ago.
The early March market was under downward pressure with increasing volume and prices may decline with ample volume in the near term, according to the report.
A range of retail prices for red seedless grapes in selected U.S. cities, ranged from a low ad price of $1.28 per pound in Detroit to a high of $3.99 per pound in Seattle and New York.
Retail promotions of red seedless grapes were reported by the USDA in 7,637 U.S. stores for the week of March 1st with an average price of $2.48 per pound. That compares 8,186 stores promoting red seedless grapes a year ago at an average price of $3.07 per pound.
The coming months should be good for hauling imported Chilean grapes arriving at U.S. ports on both coasts….Meanwhile, a number of specialty produce items are popular for the Chinese New Year celebrated in February.
Imported Chilean grapes are expected to be arriving at U.S. ports with more volume than in recent years, although arrivals this winter started about a week or two later than a year ago, when arrivals were earlier than normal.
Imports to North America from Chile continues to increase accounting for a larger share of the volume. About 39,000 tons had been shipped this season from Chile through early January, down from 79,000 at the same time last year. But as mentioned, the grapes matured later this season in Chile.
Observers believe the overall grape volume will exceed 90-million cartons, which would be slightly more than average. Arrivals are now coming in good volume, with a steady flow of produce continuing through April. For several years, North American imports have accounted for about 45 percent of the Chilean grapes, that number has been approach 50 percent more recently.
Chinese New Year items
Specialty produce items popular for Chinese New Year promotions should be in good supply for the weeks surrounding the February 16 holiday. The holiday festival itself lasts for two weeks celebrating the Year of the Dog.
Among the items that will be shipped are ginger, bok choy, gai lan and other Asian vegetables, as well as citrus items such as pummelo, kumquats and Buddha’s hand, dragonfruit and young coconut, as well as Snow peas and snap peas. Other items sometimes connected to the holiday are Turmeric, Chinese long beans, daikon, starfruit, jackfruit, yu choy and lokam oranges.
World Variety Produce of Los Angeles markets under the Melissa’s brand and is one of the largest shippers of specialty produce items in the U.S. The company is sourcing leafy greens from California, other vegetables from Mexico and fruit from tropical areas.
Thomas Fresh of Calgary, Alberta is a produce repacker who handles produce specialty an other fresh items.
(Photo was taken by Bill Martin during an 11-day trip Chile in January 1992.)
Columbian imported avocados are being introduced to the United States…Meanwhile, it is springtime in Chile and it’s that time of the year for arrivals of Chilean grapes and well as other fruits.
Last August the USDA approved hass avocados imports by the U.S. from Colombia. It won’t be heavy volume for sure but observers see slow, but steady increases in 2018. Colombian agriculture officials said in a news release that hass exports will start this month from a farm near Antioquia, a production area that has been approved for exports to the U.S.
Hass avocado exports from Colombia will increase by 20 percent to Europe and North America, according to the officials with the Colombian Agricultural and Livestock Institute. The USDA reports through November 2017, imports of Columbian avocados totaled 29,300 metric tons.
The Columbian institute works with 33 hass avocado production sites including buffer areas. After complying with plant health requirements put in place by USDA and Colombian officials, all those sites will be authorized to export to the U.S.
Chilean Fruit Imports
California grape shipments to U.S. markets are on their last leg. Quality has been variable in recent weeks although plenty of pretty sweet grapes have been loaded for this late in the season. As California finishes up it season, Chilean import grapes are already arriving by boat at U.S. ports, but at this point mostly at Philadelphia. As fruit volume increases from Chile, other ports such as those at Los Angeles will begin receiving product. It is early in the Chilean grape season and around 375 truckloads of the fruit are arriving weekly, but volume is increasing with the majority of the volume coming during the next couple of months. Chilean peaches and plums also are coming in by boat, but in very light volume that also is increasing.
(Photo was taken by Bill Martin in January 1992 on a trip to Chile. It was photographed at a grape packing plant in Northern Chile.)
The opportunities for produce haulers to haul imported fresh fruit and vegetables continues to increase as foreign farming operations increasingly recognize the demand in the United States and Canada for year around availability of produce. Here we take a look at the exports of two South American countries, who are exporting a majority of their fresh produce to North America.
Peruvian Blueberries
Five years ago there were virtually no blueberries being grown, much less exported by Peru. Today, the South American country has 10,000 acres and continues to expand due to surging demand from the U.S., Europe, and China, according to the USDA report.
The U.S. is Peru’s primary export market, account for over 50 percent of blueberry exports in 2016 (54 percent). Much fewer “blues” are exported to the Netherlands (24 percent), the UK (13 percent) and Canada (2 percent).
The USDA report points out total exports of Peruvian blueberries are projected to reach 40,000 metric tons in 2017, up 42 percent from 28,139 metric tons in 2016 and nearly four times the exports of 10,303 metric tons in 2015. The bulk of Chile’s fresh blueberry exports to the U.S. arrive from September to December, though export shipments can begin in August and continue into April.
The majority of Peru’s blueberry farms are found in the northern coastal region of La Libertad, where the sunny and dry climate allows for nearly year-round harvest.
Peru’s blueberries rank third among that country’s fresh fruit exports.
Peruvian Asparagus
While Peruvian asparagus exports are expected to be lighter than normal during the first half of the season, shipments are expected to make up a lot of ground the second half of the season. However, by season’s end, total volume is expected to be close to normal. Peak Peruvian exports should kick in around Labor Day.
Chilean Grape Wrap up
Grape exports to North America by Chile rose 11 percent in the 2016-17 season. The Chilean Fresh Fruit Exporters Association reports that exports to North America totaled 364,770 metric tons, up 11 percent compared with 2015-16.
Additionally the USDA confirms U.S. imports of Chilean grapes from October 2016 through May 2017 totaled 341,000 metric tons, up 10 percent from the previous year.
North America buyers received half of Chile’s total 2016-17 exports of just more than 730,000 metric tons. Chilean grape exports to all global destinations were up 4 percent in 2016-17.
In 2016-17, the Far East received 23 percent of Chilean grape exports, with Europe taking 17 percent and other destinations accounting for 9 percent of exports.
You know something is up when for the first time you walk into your local Midwestern Wal-Mart store and Peruvian grapes are the only ones being sold. Sure, it is expected California is pretty much finished, but this is normally when Chilean grapes have taken center stage in the produce department. Bottom line is grape haulers should use extra caution as there are serious quality problems with many Chilean grapes.
There also is a glut of grapes being imported from Chile. Combine this with imported fruit from Peru and a trickling of late season California grapes and there’s too much fruit.
Meanwhile, there are heavy volumes of grapes in the storages all along the Delaware River.
The glut is expected to continue short term and volumes will gradually come more in tune with demand. Starting the Chilean grape season we were told there were light supplies, but good quality, despite rains in the early producing northern growing areas of Chile. Instead, much higher volumes, combined with serious quality issues occurred. Meanwhile, Peru has plenty of volume and good quality grapes.
The USDA reports, as of January 21st, 2,355 40,000-pound units of Chilean grapes had come into the Port of Philadelphia, compared to 2,002 units at the same time a year ago.
Between November 28th and January 1st, Chile had shipped 138 percent more grapes to the U.S. than it did a year earlier. During this period, Chile shipped over 7.75 million boxes of grapes, where last year, it was 3.26 million.
Part of the glut came as California grape shippers continued loading red seedless grapes for destinations across North America well past Christmas and into the New Year. At the same time, Chile’s grape crop was much earlier than originally anticipated. Plus, Peruvian grapes have been available since early November.
The glut of grapes should decline a lot during the second half of February, as Chilean flames give way to crimsons.
In fact, loading opportunities for imported late season table grapes from Chile will probably not be nearly as good heading into late-March and into April.
As California grape shipments wind down there’s still a lot more fruit to be hauled than at this time a year ago.
California table grape remaining to be shipped is about 79 percent more than at this same period last year, according to the USDA.
There were about 2.43 million packages of the California grapes in cold storage as of December 15th. This compares to 1.36 million on the same date in 2015. The current amount is about 30 percent lower than the 3.44 million total packages in 2014.
The autumn royal variety totaled 255,255 packages in storage in mid-December, compared to 59,867 a year earlier — an increase of about 326 percent — although the current total was down by about 4.7 percent from the 267,867 of two years ago.
Crimson seedless packages in storage totaled 1.02 million packages, an increase of about 95 percent over the 524,336 in 2015, but a 38 percent less from the 1.66 million 2014.
There were 669,470 packages of other red seedless varieties in storage, about a 287 percent increase over the 173,000 in 2015 and a 121 percent increase over the 303,000 packages in 2014.
By contrast, the inventory of autumn king trailed totals from 2015 and 2014 — this year’s 154,341 packages are down 47 percent from a year ago and down 60 percent from 2014.
Flame seedless grapes in storage totaled 1,985 packages this year, compared to 4,505 last year and 18,701 in 2014. That marked a 56 percent decline from 2015 and 89 percent from two years earlier.
While grape supplies are now low, current volume and shipments are similar to where they have been the last couple of years.
There also have been some reports of discoloration, especially with red grapes and storage quality has not been as good. So extra caution is recommended by drivers when loading product.
Imports of grapes from Peru are underway in light, but increasing volume and Chilean grapes will soon be arriving at East Coast ports and soon to be followed by arrivals on the West Coast.
San Joaquin Valley grapes – grossing about $3800 to Dallas.
It is shaping up to be an overlap of grape shipments this spring from different parts of the world. Late season imported Chilean grapes will be overlapping imported grapes from Mexico, as well as grapes from the desert of California.
Unfavorable weather earlier in the season has made for tight supplies of red grapes coming from Chile as compared to the supply of green grapes. Chilean grapes are arriving by boat on both U.S. coasts. But that situation could flip next month, as more red grapes are expected in the U.S. market.
The supply of red grapes should pick up around late March or early April. By early May, red grapes from Mexico will be crossing the border into the U.S.
During the 2015 season 110.5 million boxes (109.3 million 19‐pound box equivalents) of California table grapes were shipped. The California grape industry surpassed the 100 million box mark for the first time in 2012. Since then, the total crop volume has seen three consecutive years over 110 million boxes.
The 2015 season total of 110.5 million boxes was the third-largest crop volume in the industry’s history, just below the 2014 total of 110.9 million. The largest crop to be shipped was in 2013 at 117.4 million boxes.
California grape shipments are available from May through January. With the 2016 season only about six weeks away, Mexican grape shipments typically start anywhere from a few days to two weeks earlier than California’s first grapes that come out of the Coachella Valley. Most Mexican grapes cross the border at Nogales.
If you’ve noticed fewer loading opportunities for Chilean fruit arriving by boat at U.S. ports on both coasts, you’re correct. However, less product has been coming mostly because of growing conditions in South America, not from a union port strike in Chile that has been on and off, but apparently is over, at least for now.
For exmple, Chilean blueberry exports are at 22,516 tons, compared to 34,000 tons the same time last year. However, blueberry exports are support to be increasing now.
Chile exported 8,356 tons of cherries this this season compared to 7,998 last year. Plum exports are unchanged from a year ago.
Stone fruits were hit harder by Chilean weather and the country has exported 2,252 tons of peaches compared to 6,425 tons last year. Nectarines are off 5,411 tons from a year ago compared to 2,828 tons this year. Apricots have also been down at 232 tons compared to 822 during the same period last year.
Last September several frosts hit Chile, with stone fruit and kiwifruit being hit the hardest. In mid-January, estimated losses 64 percent for Chilean peaches, 59 percent for nectarines and 63 percent for plums. Chilean kiwifruit losses were pegged at 60 percent.
Chilean grapes lead volume of that country fruit arrivals to America. Arrivals at ports is now peaking, but will taper off early than normal – probably March – due to later varieties being hit hardest by a freeze last September.
Over the past 25 years Chile has become a major player in global markets, in large part because its seasons are opposite that of the U.S. and a number of other countries. This allows it export to the U.S. for example, when many American produce items are out of season.