Grapes

Turkey Exports Half of its Table Grapes to Russia

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According to data from the Aegean Exporters’ Association, half of the table grape exports in the period from June to October (worth $120 million) went to Russia. The overall exports surged by 15% compared to the same period of the previous season, up from $103.6 million, the data showed.

By receiving $67.1 million worth of Turkish table grapes in the said period, Russia had a share of 56% of the total exports, followed by Ukraine with $13.4 million and Germany with $6.7 million.

The western province of Manisa, which meets almost all of the exports of fresh grapes, has offered overseas markets products such as “Emperor,” “Razaki,” “Red Globe” and “Superior,” as well as the Manisa Sultani seedless grapes, a registered trademark.

In the meantime, harvest season continues in the 120,000-acre vineyard area in Sarıgöl, Manisa, renowned for its table grape production. Hayrettin Uçak, chairman of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, said that they are pleased with the export of fresh grapes this season.

Stressing the quality of table grapes, Uçak added that they do not experience any difficulties in marketing. “Our manufacturers are also satisfied with the price. Sultani seedless grapes especially are in high demand,” he said. “Russia is by far the largest market in grape exports. We have had some trouble with Russia in the past, but we are fine at the moment. We went above the previous figures… We sell one bunch of grapes to Russia, the other bunch to domestic markets or European countries.”

www.freshplaza.com

Grape Imports on the Rise this Season

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The volume of fresh grapes imported by Russia has slightly increased in the first seven months of 2018, as reported by EastFruit analysts, citing data from the International Trade Center (ITC).

Thus, the volume imported in January-July 2018 reached 105 thousand tons, which is the highest figure for this period since 2014 and is 2.4% higher than the volume recorded in the same months of 2017.

The key suppliers of fresh grapes to Russia during this period were India, Chile and Turkey. India supplied about a quarter of the total volume of fresh grapes imported by Russia in the first seven months of 2018, and the shares of Chile and Turkey were 16% and 17%, respectively.

In any case, it is worth noting that the majority of fresh grape imports into Russia take place towards the end of the year. In the first seven months, only about a third of the annual supply volume is imported. Therefore, it is still too early to judge what the general prospects for this year’s entire grape import season will be. However, given the results so far, the final volume is likely to be at least as good as last year’s. The return of Turkish grapes in the Russian market in June 2017 is mostly to thank for this.

It is worth recalling that before the introduction of the ban on imports (in January 2016), Turkey was a key supplier of fresh grapes to Russia and exported about half of the total volume purchased annually by Russian importers. To be precise, Turkey’s share of Russian grape imports in 2014 and 2015 stood at 48% and 51%, respectively.

www.freshplaza.com

Uzbekistan’s fruit and veg exports to Russia up 10%

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Russia is still looking for alternative suppliers for fruits and vegetables and one of the countries it has set its eyes on is Uzbekistan.

As reported by Russian sources, the total import of fruit and vegetables from Uzbekistan to Russia since January has increased by 10 percent compared to the same period last year.

The biggest increase compared to the same period of 2015 was recorded in the case of citrus fruit, with Russian imports becoming over 50 times greater. There has also been a significant growth in the case of grapes. In total, since the beginning of the year, Russia has imported 13.4 thousand tonnes of this fruit from Uzbekistan, compared to 339 tonnes in the corresponding months of the previous year.

In the case of lemons, even though the import volume is not particularly large, so far this year Uzbekistan has sold Russia approximately 621 tonnes, compared to just 14 tonnes in the same period of 2015.

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Kubanskiy Vineyards Plan To Collect Around 200,000 Tonnes Of Grapes

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Oleg Tolmachev, head of the department of viticulture, wine and spirits industry of the Krasnodar Region, announced that the area expects to collect about 200,000 tonnes of grapes this year, flat on the year.

“I have every reason to say that the prognosis is very positive. We expect to surpass the average annual harvest of grapes, which has occurred over the last ten years. Although, of course, a lot will depend on the weather this summer,” Tolmachev said, as quoted by the publication Interfax.

A Kuban official also noted that the grapes planted this winter survived without any damage.

“Today the grapes only just started to spring up, and flowering went well. And if we are to look at the whole picture, we expect to collect in the range of 200, 000 tonnes of ‘amber’ Fruit – at the same level as last year, which was a very successful year and an above average long-term performance,” Tolachev added.

www.fruitnews.info

Russia plans to expand vinery areas

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In Kuban Abrau-Durso a meeting session took place on May 27th where Dmitry Medvedev encharged the Government with a task to develop and to launch a campaign for Russian winegrowing upholding and development.

Also the ministry said in the official comment that they had come to a decision to actualize government upholding actions towards grape production, scientific researches in this sphere, and to increase the square of vineries up to 140 000 hectares by 2020.

www.fruitnews.ru

Californian grape harvest ahead of last year’s

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An early start to the grape harvest in California has the state’s production ahead of what it was at this point last year. Harvesting is expected to continue through December, and shipments are anticipated to continue through February of 2014.

“The season started early,” noted Kathleen Nave, President of the California Table Grape Commission. “We started harvesting during the last week of April, and the season has been good so far.” Nave attributed the early start to a combination of weather factors that led to grapes that were ready to be picked earlier than usual. The early jump to the season has made for good volumes of fruit. While shipments of grapes were at 2.3 million boxes at this point last year, California’s growers have shipped 3.2 million boxes of grapes so far this season.

“We’re significantly ahead of last year’s crop, and we expect to keep that pace up,” said Nave. The bulk of the state’s grapes are currently coming from the Coachella Valley, and harvesting there will continue through the end of June. Harvesting in the San Joaquin Valley is expected to get under way around the fourth week of June. Total volume for the state this season is expected to be close to last year’s volume of 117 million boxes.

“The crop size will be similar to last year and quality is excellent,” said Nave. “We’ve also had two more weeks on the front end to ship product, so, from a marketing standpoint, it’s shaping up to be a very good year.”

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Desert grape crop could approach record level

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Coming off a record year, California’s table grape production is already off to a fast start again, according to growers and shippers in the Coachella Valley.

“We’re two weeks early,” Nick Bozick, president of Mecca, Calif.-based Richard Bagdasarian Inc., said April 12. The desert grape deal typically doesn’t get underway until about May 1, concluding in mid-July. Other growers estimated their crop was similarly early. Shipments began in earnest in the last week of April.

Suppliers said their product would hit the market at a good time, too, with Chilean shipments concluded April 10. Those suppliers said the last of Chilean product, from a practical standpoint, would be cleared out by early May, just in time for their first shipments.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8.2-kilogram containers of bagged thompson seedless grapes from Chile were $26-28 f.o.b. for extra-large; $24-26, large; and $22-24, medium, as of April 18. A year earlier, the same product from Chile was $20-22, extra-large; $18-20, large; and $14-16, medium.

Most growers planned to hit the markets with perlettes, then move into flames and scarlet royals, blacks and sugraones. Anticipated volume from the desert is 6 million to 7 million cartons, grower-shippers said. Growing conditions have been ideal, they added.

California logged a record year for table grape production in 2013, according to the Fresno-based California Table Grape Commission. California shipped a record volume of 117.4 million boxes (116.2 19-pound box equivalents), with a total crop value of $1.7 billion, the commission reported. The desert season kicks off the state’s production year, which runs through February. The commission said California produces 99% of the commercial fresh grapes grown in the U.S. “Over the past 10 years the volume has significantly increased,” Kathleen Nave, the commission’s president, said in a news release.

www.thepacker.com

Record shipment of California table grape crop

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California shipped a record volume of 117.4 million boxes (116.2 19-pound box equivalents) of fresh California grapes during the 2013 season, a total crop value of $1.7 billion.

The 2013 season started with shipments in early May and continued into February 2014. California produces 99 percent of the commercial fresh grapes grown in the United States.

“Over the past 10 years the volume has significantly increased,” said Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission. “In 2003 the crop was under 80 million boxes. In 2012 the 100 million box mark was crossed for the first time in history, and in 2013 another record was set with the crop totalling 117.4 million boxes.”

Exports also hit a new record in volume, with 48.6 million boxes shipped to export markets including Canada – a 17 percent increase over the previous year. The top export markets in volume included Canada at 11.9 million, followed by China/Hong Kong at 7.9 and Mexico at 6.6. The 48.6 million boxes exported represented 41 percent of the total crop volume.

With the 2014 season a little over a month away, the commission is gearing up its global campaign for Grapes from California which includes retail, consumer and foodservice programs.

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Record low imports of grapes in Russia

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In the first half of the current season, Russia has reduced imports of grapes to the lowest level over the past 5 years, according to Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation.

In particular, in July-December 2013, Russian importers purchased 237,000 tons of grapes, 17% lower than in the same period of the previous season, when imports had amounted to at 285,000 tons.

A decrease in total imports is connected with 10% smaller volumes of grapes imported from Turkey.

www.fruit-inform.com

Record low imports of grape juice in Russia

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The Russian Federation has significantly lowered grape juice imports in the current season, according to the official statistics.

Russia’s imports in November 2013 totaled 1,300 tons, a decrease of 35% compared with the same month of the previous year.

Cumulative imports over the first 5 months of the season 2013/14 stood at 5,000 tons, a decrease of 38% compared with July-November 2012, when Russian importers had purchased 8,000 tons, the record high result over the past 5 years.

The Russian Federation imported more than 15,000 tons of grape juice in the previous season with Spain, Argentina, Italy, Iran and Turkey being the largest exporters.

www.fruit-inform.com