Table Grape Symposium, Global players discuss table grapes

The Macfrut Table Grape Global Players event, scheduled for the second day of the trade fair (Thursday 9 May) at the Rimini Expo Centre, will be a great opportunity to meet and discuss case studies from around the world. The event is part of the Table Grape Symposium, the international symposium dedicated to table grapes, which will bring together the world’s leading experts and industry players at Macfrut (8-10 May 2024).

Market trends, production performance, product innovation and commercial strategies are some of the topics that will be addressed by the world’s leading growers on Thursday. We caught up with some of them to give you a preview of the topics they will be discussing.

The first presentation, ‘Global Table Grape Supply, Drivers and Challenges’, moderated by Thomas Drahorad of NCX Drahorad, who is coordinating the event, will be given by Oscar Salgado, an agronomist and global consultant with over 30 years of experience in table grapes. Salgado says:

‘The supply of table grapes is changing rapidly throughout the supply chain: this includes changes in growing techniques, cultivars, pre- and post-harvest processes, logistics, and retailing to meet the demands of increasingly discerning consumers. Climate change also poses significant challenges. The tropical and subtropical regions are becoming more consolidated, with new countries and production and supply areas emerging. This is changing our approach to the table grape business, and in order to be successful in the future, we will need to make greater use of technology.’

Benjamin Cilloniz Guerrero will contribute with his experience in Peru, one of the world’s most dynamic markets in recent years. As the CEO of Safco Peru Group, a 600-hectare table grape farm in Villacurì-Ica, he predicts the following for the coming years:

‘After a decade of approved varieties, what can we expect from Peru? Throughout this period, the entire sector has undergone significant evolution, and Peru has risen to meet new challenges in both production and marketing.’ 

Another experience from South Africa will also be shared. Johan Fouche, the director of The Grape Company (Paarl, South Africa), who has more than two decades of experience in the table grape industry, will be presenting ‘Long-term Strategy from South Africa to Global Markets.’ Fouche says:

‘As a company, The Grape Company is implementing long-term strategies to address the challenges facing the South African table grape sector in the global market. Macfrut will provide an opportunity for us to share our views during the event and network effectively.’

Graziano De Filippis, Commercial Manager of Polar Europe (Spain) and global supply coordinator of the Sweeta brand of Blanc Seedless table grapes to Europe’s largest retailers, will speak on the premium table grape market:

‘Sweeta is a great example of how a table grape brand with a consistently high standard of quality can ensure a global and centralised supply of products to Europe’s largest supermarkets. A unique success has been achieved by integrating variety development, production coordination and centralised supply.’

To conclude, a case study from Spain will be presented by Fina Mena, Commercial Manager of Moyca Grapes, who will discuss ‘Spanish Table Grapes for the World: New Challenges and Opportunities’.

Macfrut Table Grape Symposium

The table grape industry will gather at the three-day trade fair Macfrut (8-10 May 2024). The event will bring together all members of the supply chain, including leading players, market professionals, universities, agronomists, and agricultural technicians. The spotlight will be on table grapes, the star product of the 41st edition of Macfrut, with Apulia, Italy’s main producer of table grapes, as its partner region. 

The Symposium will consist of three events. The Macfrut Table Grape Symposium is scheduled for the first day (Wednesday 8 May) and will feature experts from all over the world. The Macfrut Table Grape Global Players event (Thursday 9 May) will focus on market trends and production performance. Finally, Table Grapes in the Field (Friday 10 May) will include technical tours of a test field set up at the trade fair. Bruno Mezzetti from the Marche Polytechnic University will coordinate the Symposium in collaboration with NCX Drahorad.