Spain: Almería wants to go back to growing table grapes
On this day it was agreed that, because of the region’s long history of the fruit’s cultivation, a renewed production makes sense. Until about 40 years ago, the table grape served as the engine of the province’s economy. Yet, it all but disappeared during the last decades. Hardly a 100 hectares is still devoted to its production, which is estimated to be 2500 tons.
The conference also answered the question whether or not the grape is economically viable on today’s market. Clearly, cultivating a table grape of high quality is not for everybody. But what seems like a disadvantage could lead to promising opportunities, as the risk of overproduction seems small. Proof of this lies in the heartland of grape cultivation: Alicante, Murcia and part of Andalucía. These regions can boast a huge amount of experience in growing the crop, essentially forming the foundations of a renewed trade project.
With or without seeds
Consensus is that there ought to be variety in the kind of grapes on offer, with or without seeds. This kind of variation requires specific techniques.
Murcia is the first region in Europe to actually produce seedless grapes and can offer two different species: the Crimson and the Superior. But a wide and complicated program is needed to enlarge and fine-tune production. The IMIDA, in Murcia, has been working for over 20 years at the development of new species. Juan Carreño, chief of the table grape team, was able to present no less than 6 variations, to be registered soon. More promising innovations are on the way.
The economy is screaming for a profitable grape, state Francisco Petit of Murgiverde, and Enrique de los Ríos of UNICA. They think all producers of the fruit should join forces and get organised.
The Ohanes grape
For Spain, the emphasis of the table grape market is on the end of the year: October - November, when the Ohanes grape hits the markets. Everybody agrees this segment is dynamic and notoriously unpredictable. Insiders suggest we look beyond European markets, which are in a rut; new consumer grounds could be China or South Africa, where the money is.
Source: almeria360.com