Table grapes can withstand climate change well

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 10. 14. 11:34

Fruit growing faces more and more challenges due to the changing weather, but table grape growing promises an encouraging future in Hungary. According to the analysis of the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) and the Hungarian Vegetable and Fruit Association (FruitVeB), while the cultivation of most fruit species is becoming more and more unpredictable, table grapes are exposed to fewer environmental risks and are excellently adapted to the changed climatic conditions, reports the Pénzcentrum.

In our country, table grapes are currently grown on 370 hectares, mainly in the counties of Bács-Kiskun, Heves and Tolna. Thanks to the dual-utilization varieties, the vineyard area intended for food reaches 900-1000 hectares per year. Although ten years ago the production of table grapes exceeded 10,000 tons, now the annual amount is usually between 5 and 10,000 tons. However, the domestic consumption is 20-25 thousand tons, which necessitates the import of 10-12 thousand tons per year.

The cultivation of table grapes is facilitated by the fact that it blooms late, thus avoiding spring frosts, and its deep-penetrating root system withstands summer heat and periods of drought well. Thanks to this, grape varieties such as Hamburg Muscat or Moldova ripen in excellent quality until late autumn.

Currently, 43 state-certified table grape varieties are listed in the National Varieties Register, but due to changes in consumer needs, the focus is increasingly on seedless varieties. Market competition is fierce, especially with countries such as Italy, Spain and Greece, which are major producers of table grapes. According to the analysis, Hungary can compete with these countries if it improves its efficiency and specific yields.