Tali Grapes investing in new varieties

Being the only licensee of Sun World in Israel, Tali Grapes continues to make innovation in varieties a priority. Table grape production is expected to rise by about 4%-6% yearly. Moreover the current emphasis is on continuously planting new varieties with more high-quality grapes. “Achieving this goal requires big investments in both effort and  finance,” said Tali Grapes managing director David Ivri. Its Moshav Lachish cooperative of 66 farmers grows a total of 500ha, for an estimated 15,000 tons of production this season. “We mainly supply the domestic market and maintain our positioning on premium grapes,” Ivri said. The European customers it delivers to are the most requiring retailers, such as  Marks & Spencers in the UK. Thomson is still the main variety produced, with 30% of total volumes. Scarlotta seedless (red) and Sable seedless (black) were the most recent new  plantings, with 45ha and 25ha respectively. “We are also testing new varieties from the Volcani Center,” Ivri said.