Country’s production expands for seventh consecutive year, as global production is forecast to rise by 545,000 tonnes
China’s table grape exports are predicted to match Peru’s in 2025/26, making it the world’s joint-leading exporter.
That’s according to a new report published by the US Department of Agriculture, in which it suggests world production will rise by 545,000 tonnes to 30mn tonnes, boosted by larger crops in China, India, the European Union, and Peru.
China’s output is expected to grow again in 2025/26 for the seventh year running, this time by 6 per cent to 15mn tonnes.
And its exports are forecast to increase by 16 per cent between June 2025 and May 2026 to 770,000 tonnes.
That puts it on a par with Peru for the first time, having overtaken Chile last season.
“While area expansion has stalled in recent years, technological improvements such as rain shelters and year-round varieties have led to steadily increasing yields,” the report stated, citing an earlier report from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service bureau in Beijing.
“This has allowed China to more than double table grape exports in the past for years, while also reducing reliance on imports. Imports are forecast at 100,000 tonnes in 2025/26, 45 per cent below the volume imported four years ago.”
As the USDA notes, China exports table grapes mainly to south-east Asian markets – almost 60 per cent of shipments go to Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia – where its geographic proximity mean it faces “limited competition” and commands a market share of more than 70 per cent.
“In contrast, Peru and Chile table grape exports are overwhelmingly shipped to North America and Europe where they compete against each other and South Africa, with all three countries shipping between December and April.”
The increase in global production “more than offsets” lower production in Turkey, the US, and Chile, the report noted.
