Inflation pressures on input prices and shipping costs will ease in 2024, say executives at Bloom Fresh.
Bloom Fresh is the unified corporate identity following the merger of Special New Fruit Licensing Group and International Fruit Genetics LLC earlier this year. The forecast on inflation and input prices, along with other predictions specific to the cherry and grape industries, were offered by Bloom Fresh executives recently as the industry prepares for 2024.
“In 2024, pressure on the global supply and transport chains that impacted the 2023 table grape sector is predicted to ease with input prices and shipping decreasing across the board,” Kenneth Avery, CEO and international commercial manager for Bloom Fresh, said in a news release. “This trend will entice producers and growers around the world to expand as consumer appetites for table grapes increase.”
Peru will continue to lead global table grape exports, expanding supply windows and focusing on high-quality green seedless grapes, including Bloom’s Sweet Globe, Timpson, and Ivory varieties destined for North America, Avery said.
“Chile exports are anticipated to improve compared to the previous season’s historically low figures,” Avery said. “Despite enduring years of challenging weather conditions, such as prolonged droughts and destructive rains, coupled with economic pressures from escalating labor and material costs, growers in the region express cautious optimism. The growth drivers include enhanced product quality, robust industry relationships, and the availability of new genetics and market opportunities, collectively contributing to a compelling outlook for expansion.”
In South Africa and Australia, the yield and quality of Bloom Fresh varieties are providing opportunities, Avery said. Sweet Celebration is looking promising in South Africa, as are Sweet Sapphire and Sweet Globe grape varieties are in Australia.
Bloom Fresh executives said low-chill cherry varieties are increasing in popularity as climate change challenges increase.
“In 2024, the ability to grow low-chill cherries in more regions worldwide will become a reality,” Alwyn van Jaarsveld, international commercial cherry manager for Bloom Fresh, said in the release.
“As the weather gets increasingly warmer and drier in many regions, growing cherries will be no easy feat and cherry orchards that are 10 or 15 years old may go into decline due to drought and heat,” he said in the release.
Climate change around the world was a large reason why Bloom created its low-chill cherry program, Cheery Cherries, the release said.
The program allows growers to harvest cherries with fewer “chill hour” requirements during the winter, meaning the fruit ripens earlier in the season with more heat tolerance than the average cherry, the release said.
Areas with unpredictable water levels can use low-chill cherries to replace more water-reliant crops such as avocados or citrus, van Jaarsveld said.
“Cherries use less water and are a high-value crop that can target the early harvest window,” he said.
“The Cheery Cherries program will also aid the cherry industry as it continues to struggle with a year-round supply of fruit, especially in April and October,” van Jaarsveld added.
Bloom’s varietals will help to extend the cherry season by one to two months, offering consumers the opportunity to indulge in cherries earlier than ever, according to the release.
Jennifer Maguire, director of global licensing for Bloom Fresh, said in the release that the company is leading efforts in the table grape sector to develop healthier and more delicious varieties for the category. Bloom Fresh has a diverse range of flavored grape varieties, including Cotton Candy grapes and the strawberry-flavored Candy Snaps, the release said.
Bloom has several new varietals in development, including grapes with antioxidant levels that surpass even blueberries, Maguire said. Bloom is focused on driving consumption by developing great tasting, healthy grapes and refining grape flavor categorization to simplify the vast array of varietals for consumers to navigate, she said.
Grape growers have faced severe weather challenges that may continue, Chris Owens, breeder for Bloom, said in the release.
“Extreme weather conditions are at the forefront of the produce industry and will continue to have far-reaching consequences into 2024,” Owens said. “Intense rains from Australia to the United States, and South Africa to Europe have negatively impacted table grape production along with the decreasing availability of chemical crop protection. As the climate continues to create challenges, more emphasis on genetic improvements will be necessary with advanced selections exhibiting powdery mildew and downy mildew disease resistance.”
Innovative technologies in both breeding and growing are helping to offset some of these challenges, Owens said, including the use of plastic covers and the development of new varieties.
