Record global grape crop
Grape vines at Waltz Vineyard, owned by winemaker Jan Waltz (USA).
The global table grape trade is expected to hit a record 3.4 million tons in 2020/21, despite numerous challenges. According to USDA data, production in key productive regions like Chile, Europe, and the US substantially decreased their output. However, increased production in other areas has offset the losses and maintained global production at 24.3 tons for this season. As for exports, the table grape industry has shown remarkable resilience, with most major exporters reaching destination markets and some even expanding to new destinations.
Countries with reported losses this season are Chile, Italy, the US, and Turkey, all due to weather-related issues. The Chilean grape industry estimates that 40% of its output is unusable due to unexpected heavy rainfall just before harvest. Meanwhile, EU production is expected to fall by 12% to 1.4 million tons, mainly due to excessive rainfall in Italy.
