2024 AUSTRALIAN DRIED VINE FRUIT CROP UPDATE – March 15 2024
The fruit maturity is ahead of the 2023 season by approximately one month and this has enabled growers to get in and cut the canes in a timely fashion and utilise the very warm dry conditions.
The rain events experienced in early January has had a flow on effect with some damage evident in some of the varieties. This has resulted in a portion of the fruit producing an inconsistent colour between light and brown.
The weather forecast for the next four weeks continues to look dry and if this comes through we should have one of the quickest drying seasons that we have experienced for a while.
At this stage the intake is at 15% of our estimate, so there is a lot of fruit to be delivered. The intake is well ahead of 2023.
Nearly all the canes have been cut on all varieties and harvesters are busy and struggling to keep up with demand.
Large areas are being completed in the mornings and harvesting ceases in the afternoons due to the high temperatures.