CALIFORNIA NATURAL SEEDLESS RAISINS - Report received from National Raisin Company
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CALIFORNIA NATURAL SEEDLESS RAISINS
Report received from National Raisin Company, USA
Total industry 2014 crop year shipments for 10 months (August 1, 2014 through May 31, 2015) were down 11% compared to the same period a year ago, but relatively flat compared to the average shipments of the two previous crop years.
- Shipments to Western Europe were down more, 39% overall; though down only 12% compared to the average shipments of the two previous crop years.
* For the current crop year, California shipments were down due to the bumper crop and cheap prices from Turkey, as well as the weak Euro.
* The opposite was true for the 2013 crop year.
- Shipments to Japan were up 17% despite the weak Yen, due to raisins being used in the burgeoning granola and nutrition bar business there.
The California raisin grape crop is developing well.
- While surface water deliveries have been significantly curtailed, nearly all growers have good access to groundwater.
- However, growing costs have increased.
* Digging more and deeper wells
* Cost to pump and maintain the wells
- At this point we can anticipate a total supply for the 2015 crop year of around 416,000 short tons vs. 443,000 for 2014. This includes a crop of 300,000 tons for 2015 vs. 305,000 for 2014.
- Growers are looking to get a greater return this coming season.