PRELIMINARY GRAPE CRUSH REPORT FOR 2003

SACRAMENTO - California’s 2003 grape crush totaled 3.37 million tons, down 11 percent from the 2002 crush of 3.79 million tons. Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 1.64 million tons, down 10 percent from 2002. The 2003 white wine variety crush totaled 1.3 million tons, up 1 percent from 2002. Tons of raisin type varieties totaled 351,000, down 44 percent from 2002, while tons of table type varieties totaled 70,400, up 16 percent from 2002.

The Grape Crush Report includes the total number of tons crushed that will be marketed as grape concentrate. In determining grape tonnage crushed for concentrate production, each processor was required to report the estimated equivalent tons of grapes crushed that are anticipated to be marketed as grape concentrate. For the 2003 season, this total was 395,885 tons, approximately 12 percent of the 2003 grape crush total. This report provides only the anticipated aggregate figure for grapes crushed for concentrate production and does not include information by district, type, or variety. 

California grape growers received prices in 2003 for raisin and table grapes that were, on average, above the 2002 prices, while the prices received for red and white wine grapes were, on average, below the 2002 prices.  The 2003 average price of all varieties was $466.89, up 1 percent from 2002.  Average prices for the 2003 crop by type were: red wine grapes, $600.29, down 2 percent from 2002; white wine grapes, $418.22, down 3 percent from 2002; raisin grapes, $94.90, up 26 percent; and table grapes, $92.16, up 14 percent. 

In 2003, Chardonnay accounted for the largest percentage of crush volume with 17 percent. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second leading percentage of crush with 12 percent of the total crush. With the exception of Thompson Seedless, the next eight highest percentages of grapes crushed were all wine varieties.

Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price of $3,032.93 per ton, up 3 percent from 2002. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest return of $1,943.49, down 6 percent from 2002. The 2003 Chardonnay price of $655.02 was down 4 percent from 2002, while the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon price of $1,009.48 was down 2 percent from 2002. The 2003 average price for Merlot and Zinfandel grapes decreased to $788.85 and $426.64, down 8 percent and 10 percent from 2002, respectively.

California leads the nation in the production of all grape varieties, with an estimated 2003 value of production at $2.26 billion.

This preliminary report includes all grape tonnage crushed during the 2003 season, as well as purchased tonnage and pricing information with final prices prior to January 10, 2004.  The Final Grape Crush Report will be available March 10, 2004.

The California Agricultural Statistics Service operates under a cooperative agreement between CDFA and USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

 
    
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