grapes

Season delay corrected 2pm GMT

Italian table grape suppliers have said they expect rainfall during May and June to result in a delay of up to 10 days in this season's harvesting of seedless varieties, which make up the bulk of the crop in the country's main producing region of Puglia.

Amleto Elia of producer organisation Latitude told Eurofruit Magazine there was likely to be a shortage of seedless varieties on the European market during weeks 27 and 28, compounded by a two-week delay in the main Spanish production areas.

'We are only harvesting seeded varieties at the moment,' he revealed, referring specifically to the Black Magic and Victoria varieties. 'We are selling these and the market is very good now because of the shortage.'

He continued: 'We won't reach peak harvesting until around the beginning of week 29. This is the case for both Spain and Italy, hence the overlap.'

He also noted that Italian seedless grape exporters were likely to adopt a strategy that, over the years, has seemingly become their preferred option: namely putting product in coldstores and waiting until September and October.

The 15-day delay to Spanish shipments was only likely to accentuate that need to delay Italian marketing campaigns.

'Prices are average at the moment but maybe during week 27 and week 28 the Spanish season could peak,' he said. 'By the middle of week 29, lorries and lorries full of grapes will be on our roads.'

According to industry sources, prices for Spanish grapes are currently trading at around €2.00/kg, but by the end of week 29, when a greater volume of production from Spain and potentially Italy will be available, Italian exporters believe that figure could possibly fall as low as €1.60/kg, pricing them out of the market.

'We have two options, basically,' added Mr Elia. 'We either compete in the market by supplying product that has high brix, or we bide our time and look to sell white seedless varieties later – in August, September and October.'

Greek production of Thompson seedless, meanwhile, is reportedly running 10 days earlier than usual, while Moroccan product has all but finished.

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