California Grape Crop Moving at Possible Record Setting Pace by Sarah Hoxie
A record-setting 28 million boxes of California table grapes have been shipped through Friday, August 23, 2013, according to USDA data. August has seen week-ending totals of over 4 million boxes three weeks in a row.
“The crop is moving at what could be a record-setting pace,” said Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission. The 2013 year-to-date total is 3% ahead of last year, which saw a record-high season total volume that surpassed the 100 million 19-pound box equivalent mark for the first time in history, according to a press release.
A study conducted earlier this year by The NPD Group found that fresh fruit is the top snack food and the fastest growing snack food in America.
“Shoppers are becoming more health conscious about the food they buy for themselves and their families,” said Nave. “As one of the top-selling fruit categories, grapes are a good fit for today’s shopper.”
The 2013 grape season started in May 2013 and will continue through January 2014. Over 60% of the crop is shipped after August 31.
