Fruits are very important for a healthy life for everyone. There are various fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, mangoes, strawberries, watermelons, pineapples, grapes, apricots, and there are so many fruits. When considering these fruits, some are expensive and some are cheap. In this article, we are going to grapes. Mainly, why are grapes so expensive?
Grapes
Grapes are round, fleshy fruits that grow in clusters of many greenish, yellowish, or purple fruits. This fruit is included in the Vitaceae family and native to the north temperate zone. With varieties that can be eaten as table fruit, dried to make raisins, or crushed to make grape juice or wine. It is an antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic food that contains a variety of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus and vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin K. Sugar (glucose and fructose) are present in varying amounts in all grapes, depending on the variety. The ones with the most glucose are the easiest to ferment.
After getting some idea about grapes, let’s move on to our main topic.
Why are grapes so expensive?
When grapes are in season, they’re a delicious bunch of fruit, but when they’re not, they’re a big letdown. If you are in Europe, America, or Australia, you’re probably well aware of the high cost of grapes. There is, in fact, a very reasonable explanation for this, or rather, multiple reasons.
Grapes are a seasonal crop
This is the main reason for the high price. This implies they aren’t available throughout the year and are only available for roughly two months. Those two months can extend into four in large countries like America, where climate varies greatly, but they still need to be imported from state to state. However, we can see grapes throughout the year in the market. The reason behind this situation is these grapes are cultivated under controlled conditions. They are always less tasty, sweeter, and rougher than actual seasonal grapes.
Grapes need specific soil and weather conditions
According to seasonal nature, grapes are not grown throughout the year. Also, we can’t grow grapes just anywhere and good grapes are not produced just anywhere. So, soil and weather conditions are very important for grape growth. This fruit grows in temperatures that never fall below 15°C and never rise over 40°C. This excludes a large piece of the world, leaving only the area just above and below the Equator line. This means the best grapes grow there, and for countries further from the Equator, it often requires imports and taxes.
Grapes spoil quickly
Now you know the two reasons for “Why are grapes so expensive?” This is the third one. When considering grapes, their shelf life is very short. They’re fragile and easily burst open, and they’re always gathered in large numbers. As a result, we must always take extra care when handling grapes, as we can easily smash a large number of them. So, grapes have to be handled, transported, and stored carefully. A large amount of cost is needed for that and it will affect the final price.
Harvesting cost
We can’t use machines to harvest the grapes. The gaps between the vines are small, requiring more skill than any machine can provide. As a result, humans continue to harvest grapes by hand, as they have for centuries. This is a labor-intensive, time-consuming process, and the workers must be paid. Here, also the cost is high and it will affect the final price.
Price sensitivity
Last but not least, there’s the customer. Fresh grapes, even among fruits, have a very high-profit margin since they are frequently consumed by persons who are less price sensitive. More importantly, fresh fruit buyers extremely price sensitive.
According to the above facts, there are five main reasons I have mentioned related to the higher price of grapes. So, I hope now you can understand the situation behind that easily. When considering grapes, there is a very interesting fact about Japanese grapes.
Why are Japanese grapes so expensive?
Ruby Roman grapes are the name of these grapes and only grow in Japan. For a long time, these grapes have been known as the most expensive in the world. It has been reported that a single bunch of these luxury grapes can sell for as much as 90 to 450 USD. Because of their excellent quality, taste, and very large size, these grapes are quite expensive. The Ruby Roman grapes have been valued at a higher price due to three factors: their flavor, their distinct and uniform color, and their distinctive size.
According to this article, we mainly consider the price. When considering grapes, we can’t forget about raisins. Also, raisins are cheaper than grapes. What is the reason behind that?
Why are raisins so cheaper than grapes?
Why are grapes so expensive? When considering the price of grapes, we have to consider the price of raisins too. Grapes must be of higher quality, and they must be delivered before they spoil. Raisins can be prepared from low-quality grapes and transported using slower methods. They are meant to dry out anyway. Raisins may be kept for a long time, especially in cold, dry, dark environments. If raisins are stored properly, they can last for years but not grapes. This is the reason for the price change for raisins and grapes.
Grapes can be consumed fresh as table grapes, or dried as raisins, currants, and sultanas. They can also be used to make wine, jam, grape juice, jelly, grape seed extract, vinegar, and grape seed oil. Let’s consider some products.
Wine
Wine can be made by using a variety of fruits such as grapes, peaches, plums, and bananas. Grapes are used to making the most common wines. When the grapes are fully ripe, they are crushed and fermented in large vats to make wine. Estimates of wine-making with grapes vary from 8000-3000 B.C. Wine may be the oldest fermented beverage made by humans, but some authors think beer or mead was produced earlier. The yeast responsible for the fermentation of fruit sugars is usually present on fruit skins, so fermentation can occur spontaneously. Wine comes in a range of flavors, as well as different levels of sweetness or dryness, as well as different levels of alcoholic strength and quality. During the fermenting process, the wine’s strength, color, and flavor are often controlled.
Grape juice
Grape juice is made by crushing grapes and mixing them into a liquid. Must is a term used in the wine industry to describe grape juice that comprises 7–23% pulp, skins, stems, and seeds. Grape juice’s sugars allow it to be used as a sweetener, as well as fermented and turned into wine, brandy, or vinegar. The most popular grape juice in North America is purple, made from Concord grapes, while white grape juice is created from Niagara grapes, both of which are native American grape varietals, not European wine grapes. Sultana grapes are occasionally diverted from the raisin or table market in California to generate white juice.
Jelly
Only the juice is used to make the jelly, which results in a clear, sweet, and flavorful spread. Grape jelly may be a distinctively American invention, despite the fact that fruit jellies have been available since at least the 1300s. Grape jelly was one of the various uses for wild grapes during the time of the early American settlers. Concord grapes were an instant favorite with jelly-makers when they first appeared on the scene in the mid-1800s, thanks to their rich color and sweet flavor with a hint of bite.
Conclusion
Why are grapes so expensive? Now you know the reasons behind this question. There are five main reasons that have been mentioned here and there are also facts about some products that can be manufactured using grapes. If you are a fruit lover or grapes lover, these facts are important to you. Not only fruits but also there are many foods all around the world and we are here to bring the food world to you. So, stay with us to know more facts and consider following us on Facebook and Instagram.
