Table grape harvest in California’s San Joaquin Valley started the last week of June for some growers, and reports from the vineyards are positive.

The weather has been working in growers’ favor, said Ian LeMay, president and CEO of the California Table Grape Commission, Fresno, with some growers in the southern San Joaquin Valley harvesting in late June.

Produce shipper-marketer Divine Flavor, along with its principal grower and one of Mexico’s largest table grape producers, Grupo Alta, recently hosted Sun World International at Sonora vineyards for a special showcase of Ruby Rush® (Sugrafiftythree variety), the company’s newest red seedless grape brand. 

Pacific Trellis Fruit Co. announced a long-term joint venture agreement with Desert Ghost, a Hermosillo, Sonora, farming entity owned by the Carrillo family of Caborca. Carrillo also owns UVEX, a large table grape operation located in Caborca.

Grapeco Farms, Delano, CA, has a full line of traditional grape varieties throughout the year, but it’s been expanding acreage of newer, more flavorful grapes to supply a growing demand from retailers.

In particular, Grapeco co-owner Jared Lane highlighted three varieties on the rise at the company: Great Green, Sweet Globe and Bebop.

The domestic grape season has kicked off with favorable early season conditions in California’s Coachella Valley, and as the supply swings north to the San Joaquin Valley in July, early expectations are also optimistic.

Sun World formed a strategic partnership with Clarifresh, a leading AI-powered quality-management software for fresh food. Through this collaboration, Sun World can offer new tools to its network of growers and packer-shippers, starting in Egypt and Italy, which will enable them to optimize quality control processes and drive greater consistency across the supply chain.