Rare Tropical Weather Event Delivers Big Blow To California Table Grapes
September 5, 2023 What was left of Hurricane Hilary once it made landfall as a tropical storm on Aug. 20 delivered wind and rain to many California table grape vineyards at peak harvest time for most of the 90 varieties grown in the state. The immediate aftermath of the rare tropical weather event brought additional rain and humidity to many growing areas, compounding problems.
How rare was this weather event? It prompted southern California’s first-ever tropical storm watch, according to NOAA.
“The impact of the hurricane and its aftermath is devastating and heartbreaking,” says Kathleen Nave, President of the California Table Grape Commission. “To say that the grower and farmworker community is in shock is an understatement.”
According to the California Table Grape Commission, with approximately 30% of the crop harvested when the storm hit, it is projected that 35% of the remaining crop – 25 million boxes – has been lost. “The revised estimate for the California crop is 71.9 million 19-pound boxes,” Nave says. “The last time the crop was under 75 million boxes was 1994.”
Noting that it is typical for California to ship more than 65% of its crop after September 1, Nave says that based on the revised estimate there are still more than 45 million boxes of grapes the industry plans to ship. “Reaching consumers at retail stores is a major focus of the work done by the commission,” she says. “Partnering with retailers to get grapes on store shelves and to promote them to consumers is work that will continue throughout the season.”
Nave notes that retailers understand the damage the storm caused and the many ways that labor costs will increase as a result. “Retailers understand that even with skilled workers it will take more time to harvest much of the remaining crop and that accordingly, to keep grapes on the retail shelves throughout the fall the price paid to growers will need to be enough to make it worthwhile to harvest.”
Nave says the industry plans to continue assessing the situation in the weeks ahead, providing updates as needed, and that the commission will continue its retail promotion activities and consumer advertising campaigns throughout the season.
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