California grapes

The figures are in on California’s 2008 grape exports, which the United States Department of Agriculture has named as the second biggest export year on record after 2005.

A total of 26.6m 19lb (8.6kg) cartons valued at US$430m were exported from the US state (excepting exports to Canada), an increase of 19 per cent from 22.4m boxes in 2007. The overall production volume came to 94m cartons, up from 90.3m in 2007.

The export growth is part of a trend for Californian grapes: over the last 10 years export volumes have increased 52 per cent, and export value has grown 124 per cent, according to a Californian Table Grape Commission press release.

“The industry has not only increased the amount of grapes exported, the grapes are generating a higher value in markets all around the world,” said president of the Commission Kathleen Nave in the release.

Export growth in 2008 are partly attributed to record sales to countries including Mexico, Panama, Central America, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Thailand and Australia.

Canada, Mexico and China were the biggest buyers of Californian grapes in 2008, followed by Australia and Central America.