The USDA, NASS May Crop Production forecast for California peach production in 2024 is 510,000 tons, a 6 percent increase from 2023. California is the top peach-producing state.
A larger California peach crop is expected in 2024 despite a warm winter resulting in the second lowest chill hour accumulation in the last 50 years.
Growers reported abundant fruit set and generally good spring weather conditions. However, persistent high summer temperatures in the Central Valley may negatively impact fruit quality, sizing, and lead to increased fruit drop.
Table grapes affected
News reports say “The prolonged heat wave has slowed the supply of California table grapes, with vines shutting down and picking crews working fewer hours just as the state’s main growing region ramps up harvest.
San Joaquin Valley growers, who produce most of the nation’s fresh-market grapes, say the excessive heat has begun to damage some varieties while inhibiting growth of others. Pickers have been working mostly six-hour shifts in the morning to avoid sweltering afternoon temperatures, leaving fruit on the vine, as they can’t pick it all.
“It’s just taking longer to pick it,” said Kern County grower Mark Hall.
Temperatures soared to triple digits just as the region began harvest in early July. Though some of Hall’s early Flame Seedless were fine, he said the extended heat spell is now affecting quality. Overripe fruit that didn’t get picked on time turned mushy and melted. His Sugraone grapes—a greenish-yellow seedless variety—may be a total loss due to heat damage and mildew, which weakens the skin and causes the berries to crack and rot. Autumn King, another light-green variety, shows some sunburn.
With other valley growers in the same boat, Hall said there’s not as much fruit on the market, which has helped prices. In more typical years, prices tend to drop in the middle of summer and rise later in the season as supplies wane.”
Table grape imports reach record high in 2023/24, exceed domestic production for the first time
USDA says fresh table grape imports reach record high in 2023/24, exceed domestic production for the first time: Fresh grape imports for the 2023/24 marketing year were 1.75 billion pounds, exceeding the 2022/23 record volume of 1.64 billion pounds. Imports continue to make up an increasingly larger share of fresh grape availability, accounting for 56 percent of fresh table grape supply on average in 2020/21–2022/23. The share of imports has trended upward for 5
consecutive years, reaching a record high (63 percent) in 2023/24 as imports exceeded domestic production volume for the first time .