Smaller harvest
He says his supplier tells of a smaller harvest in Italy. This is due to the drought. "He speaks of a loss of 20 to 30% for his company. Other growers have even smaller volumes. The quality is, however, very good this year. As there were few bunches and it was hot, the brix levels are higher."
Van Dijk Foods offers, in particular, seedless grapes. "Italy is now transitioning from the Victoria to the Italia, grapes that do contain seeds. We are dealing with the seedless Crystal (white) and Jack Salute (red) at the moment. The supply is quite limited, so prices are high for the good quality products. There are very few inexpensive grapes on the market at present. There is no talk of a shortage but there is also not an over-supply. It is expected that these high prices will continue for a while. At least, so the Italians hope."
