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GRAPE JUICE CROP UPDATES - Q4 2024

Argentina’s grape juice exports surged 110% year-over-year, driven by rising global demand for natural fillers amid firm apple juice prices.

In terms of growing conditions for the 2025 crop, there have been some further frosts in recent weeks, but there has been no damage to the recent blooms – the flowering will carry on for another 3 – 4 weeks. There was good snowfall during the Winter, which will be beneficial for irrigation. The freeze risk should be over in one month’s time.

The industry will then be focused on the results of the government quota for the share of grapes going to the juice sector and the share going to the wine industry. Wine stocks are reportedly big in Argentina and so processors are hoping for a favourable percentage. A minimum price will also be fixed at the same time.

Local industry sources say that demand has been increasing and there was reportedly a lot of interest from buyers at the recent SIAL food fair looking to use grape juice concentrate as a natural filler once again due to the firm apple juice concentrate market. The two products have similar profiles and can be submitted for each other in many blends.

The higher demand is also attributed to elevated pricing for grape juice concentrate in Europe. Meanwhile, grape juice concentrate exports from Argentina this year continue to register far above those in 2023. Between January-September this year Argentina shipped 57,400 MT, against 27,300 MT during the same period the year before.

Meanwhile, Europe faces climbing prices for white grape juice due to intense demand, with processors in Spain and Italy struggling to meet contractual obligations. Australia’s grape production is forecast to increase to 230,000 MT in 2024/25, the second largest on record, from an estimated 195,000 MT in 2023/24.