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Leading international citrus cooperative Sunkist intends to market around 2m cartons of grapes this year under a collaborative agreement with two vertically integrated US-based grower-packers.

In a media release, the cooperative announced it would provide a line of table grapes this year, including a dozen varieties of red, green and black seedless grapes, as well as the seeded Red Globe variety.

The programme will source fruit from two distinct growing areas enabling Sunkist to provide customers with continuous supplies throughout the table grape season with harvesting starting in May in the California desert and moving up to the San Joaquin Valley through to December.

Sunkist president and CEO Russ Hanlin stated in the media release the company’s marketing abilities and the sales networks of the two grape producers would add value to the programme.

“Our expanded portfolio of products enhances the value we offer both our customers and consumers,” he said. “We spent a great deal of time looking at the best possible produce match. We chose grapes because, like citrus, they are a great-tasting, convenient, healthy product that everyone loves.”