Magazine_October_2023

INNOVATION
GRAPE VARIETIES
Sun World embryo rescue table grape
Developing new
varieties grows
opportunities
The table grape industry has experienced significant
advancements in terms of grape varieties in comparison
to other fruit items. Globally, there are numerous table
grape breeders, including well-known entities such as
IFG, Sun World, Grapa, and SNFL.
In recent years, there has been a notable surge in
demand for green seedless grapes, with varieties
such as Autumn Crisp and Sweet Globe exhibiting
great success and dominating markets worldwide
due to their size and flavor profile.
In Asia, the Shine Muscat, which originated from
Japan, has emerged as a popular premium variety,
with neighboring countries such as China and South
Korea increasing production volumes over the past
five years.
Sun World greenhouse with table grape seedlings
This has led to a natural decline in prices, resulting in
greater market exposure and popularity across all
segments. The volumes of this variety are growing
enormously. While the older Crimson variety remains
highly sought after for red seedless grapes in many
countries, newer varieties such as Jack Salute,
Sweet Celebration, and Candy Hearts have also gained
traction. However, the demand for black seedless
grapes, despite being the healthiest option among
the three, has been declining globally.
New varieties such as Midnight Beauty, Sweet Favors,
Sable, and Adora, are slowly replacing the dominant
Autumn Royal. With the introduction of these new
varieties, consumers are presented with a growing
number of options, while growers face the challenge
of selecting the right varieties to cultivate and invest
in based on the growing conditions of their origin and
the demands of their target markets.
Sun World Global technical services team doing pressure bomb testing in vineyard.
Sun World test tube with baby
table grapes seedling in lightroom.
It will be interesting to observe how the table grape
industry evolves in the years ahead. We as Aartsen are
always in discussion with our partners on the supply
side to discuss these trends and developments within
the grape categories.
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