THE prospect of an extra 7000 tonnes of table grapes ending up in the domestic market due to last week's Mildura fruit fly outbreak has dashed growers' hopes of better prices this season.
Growers are expecting a smaller crop this year because dramatic temperature changes in spring, and November's unseasonable heatwave.
But last week's outbreak put paid to hopes this would translate into better prices because fruit intended for export would be dumped on the local market.
Australian Table Grape Association chief executive Jeff Scott said this year's crop was likely to be 30 per cent lower than last year's bumper 140,000 tonnes and 10-15 per cent less than average.
"A lot of that's due to the (November) heatwave," he said.
The 13 days over 35C has taken a toll on quality and yields at Mildura, especially in the very early and late flowering varieties.
Mr Scott said some berries fell off the vines and heat-affected berries had not grown to their full potential.
This resulted in uneven bunches, containing both large and small berries, commonly known as "hen and chicken".
"It hasn't affected the sweetness of the grape," he said.
"The sweetness is there, but the looks and presentation is not as good as previous years. They're not as full and round, but they taste just as good."
Mr Scott said the fruit fly outbreak meant the almost 200 growers inside the 15km suspension zone would have to subject grapes to post-harvest cold treatment for up to 18 days, forcing a premature halt to early season exports by air to New Zealand.
But the Department of Primary Industries will allow growers to inspect their own fruit and sign a plant health declaration before sending fruit to market, which would minimise the extra costs, he said.
DPI Plant Standards Branch senior officer Gary D'Arcy said the DPI would bait for fruit flies in a 1.5km area for the next 12 weeks. He said four or five large citrus packers were also involved in the inspection process.
