California Growers Expect a Strong Table Grape Season as Harvest Begins Early

Favorable weather has vineyards running ahead of last year’s pace.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, Calif. (RFD News) — California table grape growers are expecting an early start to harvest this year and are optimistic about the season ahead.

The harvest is expected to begin earlier than normal, with vineyards running about two weeks ahead of last year, thanks to favorable weather conditions.

Growers in the San Joaquin Valley expect production to ramp up later this month and are projecting a crop of roughly 96 million boxes. Early reports indicate strong fruit size and quality.

Growers say steady water supplies have supported crop development, while demand is expected to increase as retailers transition from imported grapes to domestic supplies.

Related Stories
Wheat Harvest Advances As Drought Pressures Pastures
World cotton stocks are projected to be lower in 2026/27, but inventories remain large enough to limit a true shortage story.
Oklahoma State University extension specialist Todd Hubbs joins us for an update on wheat harvest conditions in his state and the key factors shaping marketing decisions.
Kansas farmer and friend of RFD-TV John Jenkinson joins us to discuss wheat crop conditions, regional variability, producer financial concerns, and the outlook for the growing season across Kansas.
The report gives producers a mostly stable row-crop balance sheet with sharper signals in wheat and meat markets.
Panama matters to agriculture as both a freight corridor and a potential future market for U.S. ethanol.

Knoxville native Neal Burnette-Irwin is a graduate from MTSU where he majored in Journalism and Entertainment Studies. He works as a digital content producer with RFD News and is represented by multiple talent agencies in Nashville and Chicago.


LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The rule allows some H-2A positions to use federal labor wage calculations instead of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate.
Farm groups urged lawmakers to maintain free and fair trade across North America.
Fir Ridge Holstein Farm continues to embrace new technology while raising registered Holsteins.
The updated lineup helps producers boost efficiency while enhancing operator comfort.
Global supply routes and U.S. energy inventories remain key factors for fuel markets
The University of Georgia event highlighted tools designed to help producers become more efficient and sustainable.
Agriculture Shows
Join markets specialist Scott Shellady, better known as the Cow Guy, as he covers the market-close, breaking down headlines that drive the commodities and equities markets with commentary from respected industry heavyweights.
Tara Beaver Coronado (formerly known as Beaver Vineyards) is a farmer in Northern California. She raises grain crops with her dad. Tara planted her very first vineyard in 2018. Her channel is centered around her daily life on the farm, as well as promoting the diversity and scale of California agriculture.
A few years ago, the Stoney Ridge Farmer moved from a 1/3-acre lot in the city to a 150-acre farm nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
Cole Sonne is a fourth-generation farmer living in Southeastern South Dakota. His family farm raises Black Angus bulls and grows alfalfa, grass, hay, corn, and soybeans. Cole says, “I make these videos for your entertainment (and for my own, as well)!”