"We expect good quality grapes, better than those of the past few years, given that in previous seasons there were significant climatic variations and the rising temperatures caused much rot, especially in the case of the Red Globe. This year, we have good temperatures within the normal range, around 17 to 18 degrees in the morning and no more than 25 to 28 degrees in the afternoon, so we are sure that this will result in very high quality grapes," affirms the commercial director of Ecosac, Gerd Burmester.
Although the Peruvian grape production is expected to increase, many growers feel unable to offer a specific percentage. It is also estimated that the market demand will be very high for almost all varieties. "We believe that Peru has established itself as an exporter of grapes, initially mainly with the Red Globe variety, but in recent years also with seedless varieties, which have been gaining strength are the most demanded in European and North American markets," said the representative.
The Red Globe is still profitable
"In the specific case of Red Globe grapes, we consider it a sensitive issue, as demand depends heavily on the domestic production in countries like China, Italy and the United States. We estimate that the price will be almost the same as last year's, even though this factor also depends on local consumption in China, which continues to consolidate as the most important and prosperous market for this variety. In other destinations, consumption has fallen sharply because new young consumers do not eat grapes with seeds. It is a product with good returns, as it has a more affordable price for consumers, but requires an efficient handling," states Burmester.
Given this situation, the search for new markets is one of the alternatives to be taken into account for the vast majority of producers, since it would stimulate a more equitable distribution of the fruit between different destinations. "Yes, we are looking for new markets. It is crucial to seek alternatives to our traditional destinations, because if we consider that one of the main reasons for the low prices is the excess supply, this process should ensure profits to all parties involved. Well, actually, so far, the product continues to generate good returns for the producers that are capable of supplying high quality products and offering a complementary and improved service," added the spokesperson.
New varieties for producers
Furthermore, Peru has recorded a sharp growth in the production of new varieties, thus gaining a distinct advantage, given this varietal diversity. But this abrupt growth has also led many inexperienced producers to make hasty decisions, sowing often large amount of hectares without having carried out preventive tests, neglecting the fact that each variety requires a specific microclimate and an appropriate treatment. This has led to many unfavourable results.
"Over the last four years, many new varieties have been made available to producers. Since Peru is in a period of growth, with the necessary land available, and the basic resources, such as labour and water, are available, it has been possible to grow and diversify the portfolio of varieties that the country can offer to different markets. In the case of countries like Chile, switching to new varieties requires a greater investment, given that there is a waiting time of more than two years before the first production arrives. The situation has been aggravated by the fact that there are water and labour shortages in many areas of Chile. The Chilean fruit industry is still, however, a model for the Peruvian industry, at least when it comes to the level of market development and the good joint work between businesses and the government," concludes the spokesperson of Ecosac.