Australian wholesaler, grower and exporter Holmans has unveiled two new varieties of grape for export.

The Melbourne-based firm, in partnership with The Grapehouse, which manages Holmans own production, will have a significant volume of Red Rob and Stanley Seedless.

“Both varieties have been bred by the Andriske family in Paringi, New South Wales and have evolved over the last few years to commercial volumes as the varieties have been tested and proven,” said md David Holmans.

The Grapehouse, as a licensed producer of the two varieties, has committed to a long-term planting programme with a large Australian publicly listed horticultural company ñ Timbercorp. “We will have around 80,000 cartons of these new varieties based on a 10kg package, harvesting around February,” Holmans told the Journal.

The varieties will be sampled in more than 20 new countries this season in close co-operation with retailers. In 2005 production should double and that annual rate of volume expansion will continue until 2011.

“The Asian and European markets are our first priority, but we want Australian customers to benefit too from the hard work and vision of the country's leading horticultural producers by having first access to something special,” Holmans said.

“Red Rob, a seedless red grape, is exceptionally sweet and very crunchy. It grows into a slightly elongated shape and averages more than 26mm in diameter. Stanley Seedless, a green seedless grape, is also a crunchy berry with good shelf-life and an excellent flavour.”

The Australian industry is showing a welcome return to form. Last year was marred by rain and heat, but the 2003-04 crop looks to be a “special one”, according to Holmans. Recent frosts created some concern for southern producers but table grapes were not affected in the same way as many of the very early summer fruits.

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