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This week, we report on the exciting development of ARRA™ varieties’ entry into India and share some great news from this year’s Hex River Block Competition in South Africa.
India

ARRA Goes East

We are delighted to announce that Grapa has awarded the UK-based grower-exporter Jupiter Group the exclusive production and marketing rights for the ARRA™ table grape varieties in India. Over the years, the successful collaboration between Jupiter and Grapa has extended from South America to Europe and we are now thrilled to expand our cooperation into yet another continent.

ARRA 15 in India
Off to a great start: ARRA 15 vineyard in India, February 2018

As Grapa CEO, Rafi says: “It is a great honour for Grapa Varieties to be the first table grape breeding programme to enter India. There is huge potential in this vast country and we trust that the strong co-operation between the Jupiter Group and Grapa Varieties will make the program a great success.”

india
Mark Tweddle, chief executive of Jupiter Group, in an ARRA vineyard in India

Jupiter Group’s Chief Executive, Mark Tweddle, is equally excited, “I truly believe the development of the ARRA varieties will positively change the demand for Indian grape and bring the market into its own as a key supply in the annual table grape supply calendar.”

The Jupiter Group has trialled the ARRA varieties in India successfully and volume harvest is expected as early as 2020 for export to global markets. We are all eagerly looking forward to seeing the positive impact that the ARRA varieties will make on the Indian table grape industry in the coming years.

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Looking good: ARRA 15 first year production in India

Congratulations - the results are in from South Africa

In February, the winners of the Hex River Block Competition were declared and we are delighted to announce that ARRA 15 from Cape Orchard Company farms was once again on the podium. The ARRA 15 block from Medoc Farm, Cape Orchard Company, managed by Anlo Schietekat under senior manager Michael Vorster, took third place and the ARRA 15 block at Idlewinds Farm, Cape Orchard Company, managed by Niel Bothma under senior manager Paul Joubert, took a very respectable fourth place. Twenty-eight blocks competed in this annual event, held in Western Cape, South Africa..

Left to right: Anlo Schietekat, TopFruit's Stephan Nel and Niel Bothma

As well as offering our hearty congratulations to both Medoc and Idlewinds farms, we would like to thank Anlo and Michael of Medoc Farm for providing the beautiful samples of ARRA 13, ARRA 15 and ARRA 29 that were proudly displayed on the Grapa stand at the recent Fruit Logistica Exhibition in Berlin.

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