Egypt’s table grape exports rose by 10% in value to US$210 million in the 10 months from September through July, according to the chairman of the Export Council of Agricultural Crops.

In the Aussenkehr Valley of southern Namibia, where early summer temperatures have already reached 40°C and the annual rainfall is about 35mm, vineyards are flourishing on the banks of the Orange River.

The USDA has forecast a 10% drop the Chinese table grape production to 945,000 metric tons (MT) during 2018-19 due to spring frost damage.

On October 19, the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) released the first crop estimate for the 2018/2019 season. Production volume for this season’s fresh grape crop is predicted to reach 63-70 million cartons with 1.8-13% year-on-year growth.

The South African table grape industry has been enjoying better growing conditions this year with higher water availability and good crops expected in most regions, but an industry representative has said conditions so far have been “tough” in the country’s leading markets.

Fears last year over the prospects of the U.S. table grape market during and after the transition to Southern Hemisphere supplies have resulted in what is described by Chilean exporters as a supply shortage.

The European market presents a challenge to the South African grape industry but one which has just emphasised again the importance of retail programmes, says Clayton Swart, Communications and Market Development Manager at the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI).

Canadian importers are at the tail end of the South African table grape import season. In fact, some importers have already seen the last fruit for the season. The season began back in December with the last grapes being seedless red and black varieties.

The 2018/19 season has proved to be one of the most difficult seasons for the table grape industry, due to difficult growing conditions and a market flooded with product, leading to lower prices. In spite of a difficult season the ARRA varieties, managed by TopFruit, still received positive feedback from growers and the markets.

A changing political landscape, as well as atypical season lengths and volumes, has had a marked impact on the European table grape industry over the last few months, says Robert van Melle, the head of grapes at Origin Fruit Direct.

South African deciduous fruit (apples, pears and table grapes) production and exports continues to grow mainly due to new orchards coming into full production, and some wine grape areas being diverted to table grapes. This has cushioned the impact of the recent drought conditions.

The story of South African wine starts in 1655 with a few scraggly vines of muscadel planted in the shadow of Table Mountain.

Profitability is slowly returning to the wine industry after years of decline.

Grapes never stopped moving on the Chinese market as long as one has loaded the right varieties for that market, says Leon de Kock, CEO of Grape Alliance Marketing: Crimson (right), Sweet Globe and Autumn Crisp.

Alcohol is produced from raw materials derived from agriculture, and involves various products, including malt sorghum, malting barley, maize, potatoes, grapes etc. Some of the products are directly dependent on breweries in terms of demand and have far reaching consequences if not processed.

Welcome to the eighty-second (82nd) issue of the Trade Probe publication produced under the Markets and Economic Research Centre (MERC) of the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC).

As an urban 'farmer' here in Pinetown I have a constant battle to save my crops from a flock of Hadedah birds and other birds, monkeys, insects etc., and have to constantly come up with new inventions using existing resources on hand.

For several months of the year, winemakers all around the world face nerve-wracking growing seasons, where just the right amount of sun and rain are needed to grow grapes of the highest possible quality.