Zhangjiagang grape breeding goes global

The Zhangjiagang Shenyuan Grape planting base welcomed major grape growers and distributors from six countries and regions, including Italy, Chile and South Africa, on Aug 25 for the second Shenyuan Grape International Open Day.

International guests attend the second Shenyuan Grape International Open Day on Aug 25 in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/WeChat account: zjgtvnews]

Founded as a family farm in 1999, Shenyuan Grape has grown into a leading private grape-breeding organization in China, with the largest number of breeding varieties among private breeders. Over the past two decades, it has completed more than 1,000 hybrid combinations, cultivated more than 80,000 seedlings and obtained approval or registration for 13 varieties.

"The grapes developed through this round of hybrid breeding can meet market demand across different consumption scenarios. This breeding work is highly valuable and will strongly drive the industry forward," said Carlo Lingua, a representative of Italian wine importer RKG.

"The journey from Chile to China is a long one, and shipping fresh fruit by sea takes nearly 30 days. Shelf life is therefore a key criterion when we select varieties. Shenyuan has a rich reserve of breeding resources, and many of its new varieties happen to match our needs. We hope to develop deeper cooperation with Shenyuan in the future," said Yorgo Dionizis, a representative of Vida Produce Company, a distributor and producer of fruits and vegetables.

More than a decade ago, Shenyuan's self-bred grape varieties were introduced to Japan, marking the first time that grape breeding achievements from a Chinese private breeder had gone overseas. In recent years, Shenyuan's grape seedlings and fresh fruit have entered markets in countries including Indonesia and Greece, extending the roots of Chinese grape breeding from local fields to global markets.