California cold storage holdings for table grapes totaled 10,222,398 packages as of August 31, 2026, according to the first USDA Western Fruit Report of the season. Other white grapes led with 5.54 million packages, followed by other red varieties at 3.86 million, with Red Globe accounting for an additional 143,525 packages. This is the first official USDA snapshot of California's 2026 grape season inventory position.
This data point is significant because it establishes the baseline for how the domestic supply picture looks heading into fall — a period when Peruvian and other Southern Hemisphere imports begin competing for U.S. shelf space. A strong cold storage build early in the season can indicate either robust production or slower-than-expected movement through the market.
Given that California's grape season was reported earlier this year as running ahead of schedule with a potentially early close, the cold storage figure is worth tracking week-over-week as an indicator of whether market velocity is keeping pace with supply.