Italy Table Grape Market Forecasts from 2023 to 2028

The Italy table grapes market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.40% to reach US$1.397 billion in 2028 from US$1.105 billion in 2021.

The table grape market is growing in Italy due to changing dietary preferences and increased personal disposable income. Growing consumer knowledge of the advantages of eating various fruits is encouraging more people to eat table grapes, which is helping the market for table grapes develop. Additionally, the market for table grapes is expanding due to technical developments in storage, controlling grape deterioration, and preventing water loss. The production of grapes in Europe will be increasingly impacted by climate change. But in recent times, rising expenses and workforce scarcity have put pressure on production numbers as well.

Increasing Discounted Offers

By including late cultivars that lengthen their seasons, growers in Italy attempt to lessen the demand. To accommodate the rising demand, grape producers in Italy have begun a move to seedless grape cultivation. In October 2022, Italian seedless grapes are being offered in all grocery shops throughout the United Arab Emirates at a discounted price, owing to the special campaign funded by Apofruit, a division of CSO Italy. Italy is the preferred European supplier of grapes to the United Arab Emirates, importing more than 1, 000 tonnes of table grapes annually. The growing demand for seedless grapes in the UAE is being fulfilled by Italy.

Increasing Production

According to a report published by CBI, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2023, the primary grape growers for the European market is Italy. With a constant annual output of about 1 million tonnes of table grapes, Italy serves as Europe's primary supplier. EU fresh grape consumption in MY 2021/22 is predicted to be somewhat higher than in the previous season due to Italy's increasing output and a rebounding HRI demand as the COVID-19 epidemic decreases. The commercial output of table grapes in the EU is predicted to grow over the previous season due to dry conditions in May and the first two weeks of June that favored fruit setting. This gain is mostly attributable to volume increases in Italy.

Increasing Consumption

As per the report published by USDA Foreign Agricultural Services, the production of table grapes in Italy has increased from 6, 70, 000 MT in MY 2020/21 to 7, 20, 000 MT in MY 2021/22 owing to the growing health awareness and increasing knowledge of the health benefits of consumption of table grapes. Further, USDA Foreign Agricultural Services reported in 2021, that the majority of Italy's domestic output of table grapes which are 74% and 25%, respectively is produced in the south, mostly in Puglia and Sicily. The four primary kinds with seeds which are Italia, Victoria, Palieri, and Red Globe cover around 70% of the table grape harvest area. From May to the end of July, early varieties (Black Magic and Vittoria) are offered for sale. About 35% of domestic output is made up of seedless cultivars (such as Sugraone, Crimson, Thompson, Sublime, etc.), but this percentage is expected to rise sharply during the next several years.

Growing Online Presence

Online channel in comparison to offline provides wider customer access and also enables companies to target potential customers. Rapid urbanization and favorable initiatives by the government to promote digitization in the economy have increased the scope of online distribution channels in Italy. Hence, the growing internet adoption and smartphone subscription have further propelled the market demand. For instance, according to the GSM Association’s “2022 Annual Report”, Italy’s smartphone penetration stood at 77% in 2021 and as per the same source, it is expected to reach 81% in 2025. Moreover, according to the World Bank, in 2021, 75% of the population in Italy were active internet users which represented a 5% increase over 2020.

Technological Advancements and Collaboration

The Italian Table Grape Commission, CUT, and CSO Italy have all signed off on the idea. A strategic tool is being developed as a result of their partnership, which was formally launched in January, and the production will go far beyond the data currently available (45 000 hectares of table grapes are grown in Italy, with 60% of those in Apulia and 35% in Sicily, making them the third-largest national fruit production after apples and peaches-nectarines). Additionally, in October 2022, researchers from the UPC's Institute of Robotics and Industrial Informatics (IRI) and the Agricultural Machinery Unit (UMA) are developing collaborative robots to harvest and trim table grape plants in Italy. They are also collaborating with researchers from other academic institutions and European businesses.

Major Market Player

SNFL Group (AM Fresh Group) focuses on bringing advancement in agriscience & biotechnology sectors, and extensive farming practices for its key products such as table grapes, plant-based foods, tropical & superfoods, citrus, and flowers among others. The company aims to create a strong vertically integrated model to serve top retailers with its key food products across all major countries.

Key Market Developments

• In February 2023, At Fruit Logistica in Berlin, a new project to promote Italian table grapes was unveiled. The "Regina di Puglia" event was held in Noicàttaro, a region south of Bari where table grapes are grown on 40% of the agricultural area.
• Sun World International LLC (Sun World), a global company specializing in fruit genetics and licensing, announced the addition of two Italian table grape growers/marketers to its team in May 2021 as an initiative to increase its presence in the promising gateway markets, bringing the total number of Italian licensees to ten.
• In March 2022, AM Fresh Group acquired International Fruit Genetics (IFG) & merged it with Special New Fruit Licensing (SNFL). This will be highly beneficial to upgrade its portfolio with innovative table grape products. This combined company will also facilitate adequate commercialization, and different varietal breeding and will altogether help licensed growers, partners & consumers.

Segmentation:

By Variety

• Seeded
• Red Globe
• Kyoho
• Others
• Seedless
• Thompson Seedless
• Others

By Distribution Channel

• Offline
• Online

By Province

• Rome
• Milan
• Naples
• Turin
• Others