For about a decade, the Chilean grape industry has worked to increase the competitiveness of its industry by introducing new grape varieties, and that effort is paying off.
This season, for the first time, more than 50% of Chile’s grape volume exported will be of newer varieties, according to a news release.
New varieties will account for 53% of volume this season, according to an estimate released at the end of October by the Association of Chilean Exporters (ASOEX ) Table Grape Committee, exceeding 49% of new varieties in the 2021-22 season.
This season Chile will export more than 36 million boxes of grapes of new varieties, according to the association. That is volume growth of 14%, or 4.7 million additional boxes.
At the same time, the association said the decrease in traditional varieties is substantial, representing a decline of 10 million cartons, a drop of 25% compared with last season, the group said.
Total volume of Chilean grapes could be down about 7.7% for the 2022-23 season. The association projects that of the new varieties to be exported, 48% will be red, 39% white and 13% black.
White varieties represent the growth in new varieties this year, up 55% to 14 million boxes.
The Arra 15, Sweet Globe, Timpson and Autumn Crisp are the white varieties that contribute the most to the growth, according to the group.
New red varieties are expected to have 18 million boxes, nearly the same as last year. New black varieties decreased 7% to 4.6 million boxes, according to the association.
With 35% of U.S. grape import value and 41% of U.S. grape import volume, Chile was the top import supplier of grapes to the U.S. in 2021-22, followed in importance by Peru and Mexico.
U.S. imports of Chilean grapes from October 2021 through September 2022 totaled $756.1 million, up 19% from the previous year. By volume, Chilean imports totaled 305,990 metric tons, up 18% from the previous year.
Chilean New Grape Variety Volume 2022-23
(packages, with percent change compared with the previous year)
- Timco: 4,548,589, -8.7%
- Arra 15: 3,663,464, 30.5%
- Allison Sweet: 3,625,736, -7.5%
- Celebration: 3,397,277, 2.6%
- Sweet Globe: 3,084,613, 95.3%
- Timpson: 2,372,803, 49.4%
- Autumn Crisp: 2,137,552, 120.6%
- Sweet Flavors: 1,251,256, 6.3%
- Sable Seedless Scarlotta: 1,133,623, -3.2%
- Seedless: 992,575, 0.4%
- Arra 29: 976,441, -12.6%
- Jack Salute: 909,481, 40.8%
- Candy Hearts: 874,795, 79.6%
- Sweet Sapphire: 756,827, -8.8%
- Cotton Candy: 727,270, 43.8%
- Blanc Seedless: 693,182, 25.9%
- Ralli Seedless: 559,971, -8.6%
- Maylen: 463,739, -29.7%
- Midnight Beauty: 302,853 -23.1%
Source: Association of Chilean Exporters (ASOEX )
