In the report, Table grape update 2025, the bank’s RaboResearch division found Australia produced over 230,000 metric tonnes of the fruit in 2024-25 – a 20 per cent increase from the 2023/24 season.
RaboResearch analyst Pia Piggott said the jump in production was thanks to higher yields and younger vineyards reaching full maturity.
Ms Piggott said Australian domestic consumption of table grapes (grapes grown for fresh consumption) rose by 11 per cent in the latest season, while exports reached a five-year high of 148,300 metric tonnes.
“Exports of Australian table grapes to China grew by 36 per cent, to 53,000 metric tonnes – although this remains nine per cent below the averages of the late 2010s,” she said.
Other markets for Australian table grapes, including South Korea, the Philippines and New Zealand, showed stronger growth than Japan, Vietnam and Thailand, Ms Piggott said.
Looking ahead, she said there was optimism for the 2025-26 season as new planting areas enter full production and a neutral El Niño outlook supports stable yields.
“And lower shipping costs, a favourable market window in China and strong demand across Asia could lead to improved returns for Australian growers,” Ms Piggott said.
The Rabobank report found a significant shift within the global table grape industry, with Peru overtaking Chile to become the world’s leading exporter, while China is rapidly positioning itself as a formidable contender.
Report lead author, RaboResearch fresh produce senior analyst Gonzalo Salinas, said with China's exports projected to exceed 100 million boxes, the global landscape is poised for transformation by the end of the decade.
“This development opens up new avenues for market diversification and strategic growth, particularly in South-east Asia,” he said.
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