USDA data shows California grape cold storage holdings hit 15,002,198 packages on September 30, 2026 — up from 13.3 million two weeks earlier and significantly above the 10.8 million packages recorded on the same date in 2025 and 10.2 million in 2024. White grapes account for the largest share at 9 million packages, with red grapes at 5 million and black grapes rounding out the rest. The year-over-year increase across all color categories is substantial.
This buildup comes at a sensitive moment. California's table grape season is winding down, and Chilean and Peruvian imports will begin arriving in the coming weeks. With storage volumes running nearly 40% above last year, the industry faces the task of clearing a significant inventory position before the market gets flooded with Southern Hemisphere fruit. Pricing pressure is a real risk if the drawdown doesn't keep pace.
Category managers handling grape programs should watch how quickly storage moves over the next four to six weeks. If holdings remain elevated as Chilean volumes ramp up in November, it could create a pricing squeeze. The elevated black grape holdings — more than double last year's levels — are also worth watching given that category's smaller overall market size.