The grape harvests in Peru, Chile and South Africa are in full swing. Vanguard provides an update from their different grape growing regions around the world.
Peru: Unrest in the South has settled, allowing harvest and shipments to resume.
The Northern region has finished approximately 90 percent of its 2022-2023 season harvest. Ica is approaching peak weeks of harvest.
Up to week 52, Peru has shipped 39,681,881 equivalent 8.2kg boxes or one percent more than last season. The Northern region has been responsible for 78 percent of the shipped volumes and has shipped 13 percent more volume than last season. The South has shipped 25 percent less.
Top varieties up to week 52: Red Globe (21 percent); Sweet Globe (20 percent); Allison (10 percent). Total Peruvian Red Globe shipments are 7,327,704 equivalent 8.2kg boxes up to week 49 or 11 percent less than the previous season to date.
In Green Seedless, Peru has shipped 18,521,246 equivalent 8.2kg boxes up to week 52. In Red Seedless, Peru has shipped 11,069,470 equivalent 8.2kg boxes.
Chile: During week 52, Chile shipped 506,812 equivalent 8.2kg boxes bringing year-to-date total to 766,951.
Copiapo and Vallenar valley are in full harvest while Elqui and Ovalle are reaching peak output.
A new forecast was released last Monday, forecasting 67,741,801 8.2kg equivalent boxes for this season--nine percent lower than past season.
South Africa: This region is currently up 42 percent on global exports. This season has produced 13.8 million cartons.
The Northern province has had close to 40 inches/1000mm of rain since the start of the season so quality and condition are being watched. Sweet Celebration™, Crimson, Autumn Crisp™, Adora™ and Scarlotta™ are being packed but volumes are expected to be down by 17.7 percent at the end of the season.
The consensus from growers in the Orange River region is they will achieve profitability due to the losses incurred by the heat wave in October and the poorly timed rain on the mid-season varieties. Later varieties are faring better, but not nearly enough to make up for the losses in early and mid-season production. This area still has around 10 percent of grapes left to harvest. Varieties still available are THS, Adora, Allison™, Magenta, Sweet Celebration, Timco™ and Autumn Crisp.
Olifants River (Pitto) had some rain in December which affected some of the early varieties. They have moved to Ralli, Midnights and Sweet Celebration and volumes look good. They will also soon start with THS and Ivory™.
Berg River Area (Le Roux) had between 18 and 43mm of rain also in December, which meant losses on some early varieties including Prime, Firestar, Starlight and Tawny.
Hex valley is seven to 10 days earlier than last year. Rain damage could be seen on Prime and Starlight but the Arra29™, Tawny, Flame, Sable™, Arra15™ and Timpson™ previously being packed, but any signs of damage have now diminished. Midnights will follow next week.
For more information:
Andrea Bava
Vanguard International USA
Tel: +1 (778) 908-1764
andrea@blitzme.ca
https://www.vanguardteam.com/en/