The Australian grape harvest has started with good prospects for the season. Australasian company Te Mata Exports works closely with a number of Australian grape growers spanning across the Sunraysia region.
"We have experienced extremely favourable growing conditions overall, said Sarah McCormack, CEO at Te Mata Exports."We have had a few hot spikes throughout the season, which our growers have managed to navigate through successfully so far."
The main varieties marketed by Te Mata are Sweet Globe, Ivory, Thompson, Great Green, Carlita, Bebop, Crimson, Crunchy Pop, Allison, Melody, Blue Moon, Sweet Sapphire, and Red Globe.
"The grape harvest started in January and our growers are currently harvesting Carlita, Sweet Globe, Crimson, Thompson, and Melody. Overall the crop yield is up, especially in comparison to last year. All varieties are a level up from last year, including brix. This season we are seeing the highest sugar averages to date and are confident this will reflect in the eating experience for the end consumer."
The main export markets are Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Philippines.
"We have seen strong interest this season especially from Japan, since the market has granted access to a range of grape varieties from Australia. Vietnam has shown some stagnancy in the market post-Lunar New Year, with a large Chilean cherry crop being a key influence on the market. But overall, we are optimistic that the quality will stimulate demand in the market."
For more information:
Sarah McCormack
Te Mata Exports
Email: sarah@temataexports.com
www.temataexports.co.nz