California grape shipments saw a 5% uptick year-over-year in week 36, according to a USDA data report.
Weekly exports went from 3,976,209 boxes in 2022 to 4,162,533 this year.
This year's figures also represent a 7% uptick over the 3,879,047 boxes shipped in 2022 during the same week.
California continues to dominate the U.S. grape industry, producing roughly 94% of the nation's crop, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
However, the report stated that the state's grape-bearing acreage has been experiencing a gradual decline, marking a fifth consecutive year of reduction in 2023.
The bearing acreage, which refers to the area actively producing grapes, stood at 120,000 acres, representing 96% of the total acreage. In 2023, table-type grape acreage was estimated at 125,000 acres, a decrease of 2,000 acres from the previous year.
The Flame Seedless variety, a prominent early-season red seedless grape, remains the leading table-type grape in California, with 12,139 acres planted. Other popular table-type grape varieties include Scarlet Royal, a mid-season red seedless grape with 6,417 acres, and Autumn King, a late-season white seedless grape with 6,413 acres.
The 2024 table grape season began in May in the Coachella Valley and will continue into Central California through mid-summer. As for production, early estimates from the California Table Grape Commission suggest slightly lower volumes than the average from 2020 to 2022 but higher than the 2023 season, which was adversely affected by Hurricane Hilary.
