US: Table grape market report week 8

By the end of Week 8, total table grape arrivals on the US east coast will be 5% higher than last season (all varieties). The fairly dramatic 25% decline in Thompson Seedless arrivals through Week 8 has been more than offset by increased arrival volumes of Flames (17% more than last season), Superior (5% more) and Red Seedless (30%).
The generally manageable volume (2.0 ? C 2.4 million total cases per week arriving on the east coast) has left grape markets in good condition. The small caliber Flames from the north have cleared the system and what remains is generally fine fruit. While the east coast coolers are today carrying more inventory than they have had for most of the season, activity at the piers has been continuous and week to week carryover of product has raised no immediate cause for alarm.Significantly, 2011 Chilean seedless grape shipments to Europe and the Far East are running well ahead of 2010 on all major varieties except Crimsons testimony to the fact that Chilean shippers are holding true to their promise that they will use all available markets to the fullest.
Red Seedless Varieties:
As expected, Flame arrivals in Week 8 declined from the prior week and will continue to decline as we move into Week 9. In Week 8, the east coast will receive 993 thousand cases of Flames, an increase of 30% over the same week last season when the Flame crop was decimated by splits and condition problems. In Week 9, Flame arrivals on the east coast will decline to 826 thousand cases, almost 60% more than the same week last season.
To complement Flame arrivals, the east coast will receive 166 thousand cases of Red Seedless in Week 8 and a further 144 thousand cases in Week 9. This is substantially more than arrived in the same week last season. Crimson arrival volumes, on the other hand, remain lighter than last season's Week 8 arrivals with only 71 thousand cases expected, 25% fewer than the same week last season. A further 163 thousand cases of Crimsons are expected in Week 9, a volume that is just 7% greater than arrived the same week last year.
The USDA reports Flame prices at US$ 12-14 for Medium (500), US$ 14-16 for Large(700) and US$ 16-18 for X-Large (900). But this understates the true value of Flames.
While there are numerous pre-commitments at the US$ 16 level for Large fruit and US$ 14 for Medium fruit, the spot market for Flames is stronger and anybody looking to buy Flames can expect to pay US$ 18+ for Large and US$ 16 for Medium.