The Spanish table grape season is in full swing, fighting the high temperatures that are slightly delaying the coloring of the red varieties. The Spanish table grape season began with a relatively empty market, but it is now having to compete with more and more Italian grapes. Meanwhile, consumption of this product continues to grow in the domestic market each year.
© Frutas Torero
"We are leaving behind a good stone fruit season, except for those growers who were affected by hailstorms," stated Antonio Caballero, Manager of the Murcian company Frutas Torero. "Fruit prices in the field were higher, especially early apricot prices, and, in general, we have exported a little more this year."
"Now we are completely focused on the seedless table grape season, which started some 10 days later this year because the weather was cooler than usual until May. However, the continuous high temperatures in recent weeks are causing the red varieties in particular to delay coloring. We are having too many days with maximum temperatures of 40 degrees, and we need a contrast in temperatures between day and night," Antonio Caballero explained.
Fortunately, this spring has been rainier in Murcia, which helped the vines' vigor and the sector remove salts from the soil, he added.
"Sales of table grapes started very well because there wasn't much fruit in the markets. This week, we have noticed a slowdown in demand because we've received more shipments from Egypt, which is already in the final stretch of its season, than expected. In addition, Italy is strongly increasing its supply of seedless varieties at very competitive prices in European markets," Caballero said.
© Frutas Torero
Table grape consumption has grown significantly in the Spanish market in recent years. "Consumption has increased because table grapes are already present on the shelves throughout the year. Nowadays, it is difficult not to see a basket of grapes in the shopping cart. There's been a significant change at the varietal level," he said.
"We've seen that grape consumption in the United States has been high for many years, and we believe that it will continue to increase in Spain. That's why we'll continue to grow little by little in volume, and we will continue to focus on the varieties that consumers are looking for. Next year, we hope to make our first imports to continue supplying table grapes in the off-season to clients in Spain and France," he said.
Frutas Torero expects to reach 8 million kilos of table grapes this season, which it distributes mainly in European markets and, occasionally, in markets in the Middle East and Asia. The Murcian company is finalizing the expansion of its facilities to be able to work on both table grapes and stone fruits in the same plant.
This year, the company will once again be present at Asia Fruit Logistica, in Hong Kong, from September 3 to 5, as well as at Fruit Attraction in Madrid, from September 30 to October 2, in Hall 7, stand 7D16A.
For more information:
Antonio Caballero Palazón
Frutas Torero
Avenida Constitución 15.
30550 Abarán (Murcia). Spain
Tel: +34 968 451 536
Email: [email protected]
www.frutastorero.com
www.hortofruticolatopi.com
