RECORD GRAPE CRUSH

USDA Releases Preliminary 2013 Record Grape Crush Report

 

TODAY, USDA reported California’s 2013 crush totaled a record high 4.7M tons, up 7 percent from the previous record high 2012 crush of 4.4M tons. Red wine varieties in the record grape crush accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 2.4M tons, up 5 percent from 2012. The 2013 white wine variety crush totaled 1.8M tons, up 6 percent from 2012.  Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 328,000, up 21 percent from 2012, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 127,000, up 28 percent from 2012.

 

The 2013 average price of all varieties was $706.29, down 4 percent from 2012. Average prices for the 2013 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $842.09, down 5 percent from 2012; white wine grapes, $620.01, down less than 1 percent from 2012; raisin grapes, $254.80, down 20 percent; and table grapes, $221.21, down 19 percent.

 

In 2013, Chardonnay continued to account for the largest percentage of the total crush volume with 16.1 percent, followed by  Cabernet Sauvignon. Thompson Seedless, the leading raisin grape variety crushed for 2013, held 6.2 percent of the total record grape crush.

 

Grapes produced in Napa County received the highest average price of $3,700 per ton, up 4 percent from 2012.

 

The Preliminary Record Grape Crush Report includes all grape tonnage crushed during the 2013 season. It also includes purchased tonnage and pricing information for grapes with final prices prior to January 10, 2014. The March 10, 2014 Final Grape Crush Report will contain any late reports or corrections to the preliminary report.

The entire Grape Crush Report is available online.