Production of Fresh Grapes in Australia (2019)

Overview

The Wine and Grape Industry in Australia has a long and interesting history. The first vines arrived in Australia in 1788, and after an unsuccessful planting at Farm Cove (the site of the present Sydney Botanical Gardens), were transplanted to Parramatta, west of Sydney. In the modern-day, grapes are grown all over the Australian states. Fresh grape growing is considered to be the largest fruit industry in this country. Moreover, over the last five years, the production of grapes has exponentially increased.

Even though raisin production has slightly decreased, wine production has almost doubled. Hence, this is one of the most profitable industries in Australia. Moreover, wine grapes are grown in nearly every state and territory, but the major wine-growing areas are concentrated in the southern half of the continent, mostly within a hundred kilometres of the coast. Furthermore, grapevines are grown under enormous variations of terrains, soils and climates. Visitors to Australia are often dazzled by the sheer quality and variety of Australia’s food.

Production Statistics of Grapes

1. Around 208,276 tonnes of fresh grapes were produced and valued at $693 million.
2. The supply per capita was recorded at 3.1 kg, based on the volume supplied.
3. The wholesale value of the fresh supply was $331 million. Out of this total amount, $315 million was distributed into retail and $15.8 million went into food service.
4. 62% of Australian families purchased grapes as a part of their regular shopping haul. Thus, they bought an average of 838 grams per shopping trip.

Major Grape Producing Regions

Fresh grapes are grown in all states across Australia. However, the majority of the production occurs in Victoria, in the Murray Valley and Sunraysia. Additionally, some of the other major areas include: the Riverland in the southern region, Swan Valley and Bunbury in Western Australia, the Riverina region in New South Wales and Ti Tree or Alice Springs in the northern territory.

Production of Various Types of Grapes

Although there are numerous types of grapes that are grown in the nation, the production for the fresh market is dominated by 3 major types. These include:

1. Menindee and Thompson are the two most common types of grapes found in Australia. 38% of the fresh market was dominated by these two varieties.
2. Crimson, Flame and Globe are the main red varieties found in Australia. These three types were responsible for 30% of the fresh markets’ produce.

Fresh Grapes International Trade

Australia has always been a net exporter of grapes. Exports have rapidly increased in the recent years. As of June 2019, Australia has exported around 146,093 tonnes of grapes.

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)