The Egyptian table grape season is now in its closing phase. Early varieties such as Prime and Superior Seedless finished in June, Flame Seedless and Thompson Seedless have largely cleared, and the volume still available for booking is concentrated in the late reds: Crimson Seedless, Autumn Royal and Red Globe. For importers who missed the June peak, this is the last window of the year to secure Egyptian grapes before Southern Hemisphere fruit takes over the market.

What is still available in late July and August

Crimson Seedless is the workhorse of the late Egyptian programme. Berries typically run 18 to 22 mm, firm, with the deep red colour that Gulf retail buyers ask for. Brix on properly matured fruit generally sits in the 16 to 18 range. Autumn Royal follows Crimson by roughly two weeks and offers a black seedless option with larger berries, usually 22 to 26 mm, which suits buyers selling on visual impact. Red Globe remains available as a seeded large-berry alternative and travels well on longer transits, which makes it a common choice for Asian and Central Asian destinations.

Volumes tighten each week from the end of July onward. Buyers planning August arrivals should confirm allocation now rather than after loading dates are set.

Packing formats and pallet configuration

Three formats cover most export orders. The 4.5 kg open-top carton with bunches loose-packed on a bunch liner is the standard for wholesale markets. The 5 kg carton with 10 punnets of 500 g suits retail programmes in the Gulf and Europe where the fruit goes straight to shelf. The 8.2 kg carton is used less often and mainly for processing or bulk wholesale.

On a Euro pallet, 4.5 kg cartons are commonly stacked 8 per layer across 10 to 11 layers, giving 80 to 88 cartons. On a 120 x 100 industrial pallet the count rises accordingly. Every pallet is corner-boarded and strapped, and grape pallets should never be shrink-wrapped solid because the SO2 pad needs air movement to work.

SO2 pads and cold chain

Sulphur dioxide sheets are the single most important variable in grape arrival quality. Dual-release pads are placed directly over the fruit under the liner, and the carton is closed so the gas is retained. Pad grade should be matched to transit length: a shorter Gulf run does not need the same release profile as a 14-day sailing to Northern Europe.

Fruit is pre-cooled to core temperature before loading, and the reefer is set at 0 to 1 degree Celsius with humidity around 90 to 95 percent. Loading warm fruit into a cold container does not recover the temperature, it only creates condensation. The same discipline described in our guidance on reefer container loading for Egyptian produce applies directly here.

Ports, transit and terms

Grapes ship from Alexandria, Damietta and Port Said, with Sokhna used for Red Sea and Asian routings. Indicative transit is 5 to 8 days to Jeddah and Jebel Ali, 10 to 14 days to Rotterdam and Hamburg, and longer to South and Southeast Asia depending on the service. We quote FOB, CFR and CIF under Incoterms 2020 and confirm the exact term on the proforma before booking.

Inspection and documentation

Berry size, colour break, shatter, stem condition and Brix are all checked at the packhouse and again at loading. Third-party inspection by SGS or Intertek is arranged on request, and buyers new to the origin often find it worth the cost on a first shipment. Our note on what pre-shipment inspection actually covers sets out the scope in detail. Phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, packing list and commercial invoice are issued as standard, with any destination-specific attestations handled case by case.

To check current availability, sizing and pricing on Crimson Seedless, Autumn Royal or Red Globe for August loading, message our export desk on WhatsApp at +20 10 9911 1918 with your destination port, format and target volume. We will come back with a written offer and the loading dates we can hold.