This week Spanish seedless grapes will be sent to Vietnam for the first time. This market and that of China were recently opened for Spanish grape exporters as a result of trade missions and conversations between the representatives of the main Spanish producing companies and the importers and authorities of these countries. The first companies to send to this market and which form part of the Association of Fruit Producers and Exporters APOEXPA will be Frutas Torero and El Ciruelo. Soon Moyca and Frutas Esther will also be shipping.
"This week we will be shipping the first two containers of Autumn Royal seedless black grapes to Vietnam", says Antonio Caballero, Manager of Frutas Torero. Spanish grapes will compete in Vietnam with Californian fruit mainly, in agreement with the grower and exporter.
At the beginning of September, the first shipments of seedless grapes to China will also begin. "We are waiting for this market to end with the bulk of the season for its local grapes in order to start finding a better place", explains the exporter. "Both the opening of the Vietnamese and Chinese markets are very important in order to avoid too much fruit being concentrated in European markets and for them to become saturated", he affirms.
"The political tension between the Trump Government and China with the increase in tariffs could greatly benefit us in the competition with American grape. On the other hand, there are also Australian grapes in China, although their prices are very high and they don't compete in our category," he explains.
The commercial mission of the companies which form part of Apoexpa took place at the end of March in China and Vietnam.
"Over the last few years we have made very good contacts at the Asia Fruit Logistica trade fair in Hong Kong. Vietnamese and Chinese importers have long been interested in our grapes. This spring we had the opportunity to participate in a trade mission organised by APOEXPA and the INFO Development Institute and it was a resounding success. The opening of these markets would not be a reality without the great work of these organizations," says Antonio Caballero.