According to data from Provid, in the 2021/2022 campaign, 21,099 hectares of table grapes have been cultivated in Peru. White grapes concentrated the largest area in the country, with a total of 9,597 installed hectares. They were followed by red seedless grapes with 6,042 hectares and Red Globe grapes with 4,359 hectares. There are 1,100 hectares of black grapes and there is no information regarding what varietal group was planted in the remaining area.
Analyzing the Provid statistics, the area of seedless white grapes has doubled from the 4,310 hectares recorded in the 2016/17 campaign, while the Red Globe, in particular, has decreased from the more than 8,400 hectares there were 5 campaigns ago.
According to Provid's general manager, Alejandro Cabrera, the main white varieties planted are the Sweet Globe, Ivory, Timpson, Autumn Crisp, and other varieties. According to Cabrera, whites are trending because of two reasons: their productivity in the fields and because they are achieving attractive prices in many markets, especially in the United States
Roberto Bezerra, an advisor of table grape fields, said that the Peruvian table grape campaign begins with exports of white varieties because at that time there is a shortage of these varieties in the United States market. In terms of productivity, he said, the most accepted variety among producers is the green Sweet Globe variety from the IFG genetic house. White grapes have been installed in at least 70% of the fields in Piura, especially the Sweet Globe variety. This variety, he said, is more productive and requires a smaller number of workers than a conventional white grape.
A conventional grape variety yields an average of 2,500 boxes/hectare, while the Sweet Globe variety can produce 4,000 to 4,500 boxes/hectare. Since it is a self-thinning variety, only 25 to 40 wages are required for the thinning tasks. Meanwhile, a conventional grape requires 110 to 150 wages. "Faced with these figures, there is not much to think about when choosing varieties," he said. In addition, it is a firm, large fruit with a pleasant flavor, he added.
Source: agraria.pe