Table grapes were at the centre of discussion during 5 days at the 11th International Table Grape Symposium (ITGS), held in Murcia, Spain under the OIV patronage. From 28 September to 2 October 2026, the Organisation strengthened the dialogue with this sector.
Strengthening institutional dialogue
The OIV's presence in Murcia began with meetings with local authorities, including the Minister of Agriculture of the Region of Murcia, the Chairmen of the Regulatory Councils for the Designations of Origin of Wine from the Murcia Region, and the Director and the Scientists of the Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario (IMIDA). These meetings provided an opportunity to exchange on the importance of viticulture and the table grape sector at regional level, and to strengthen the OIV's links with local and institutional stakeholders.
Building bridges with the international table grape community
This institutional engagement was followed by the dedicated OIV meeting, “Building Bridges Between the OIV and the International Table Grape Community”. The meeting brought together OIV representatives, international table grape experts and a representative of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to discuss the OIV’s work and identify opportunities for closer scientific and technical cooperation with the sector.
The meeting also featured presentations on the work of the OIV Commission Viticulture and Sub-Commission SCRAISIN (Sub-Commission Table Grapes, Dried Grapes and Unfermented Grapes), including priorities such as climate change adaptation, water-use efficiency, sustainability, biodiversity, plant health and innovation.
The IPPC provided an update on the development of a new commodity standard for fresh Vitis vinifera fruit, highlighting the importance of international coordination to facilitate safe trade.
The discussion continued through an international round table with experts from China, Australia, India, Egypt and South Africa.
Global data and perspectives
The OIV's contribution continued with the opening ceremony of the 11th International Table Grape Symposium on 29 September. In his opening speech, John Barker, OIV Director General, presented key global data on grape and table grape production, highlighting the growing importance of table grapes within the global vine sector.
Table grapes figures (provisional data*)
- Global grape production for all uses reached 73.8 million tonnes in 2025, cultivated across 7 million hectares.
- 33.7 million tonnes were table grapes.
- Table grapes represented 48% of global grape production in 2025, compared with 26% in 2000.
- China produced 15 million tonnes, making it the world’s leading table grape producer.
- Asia accounted for around 70% of global table grape production.
* In early November, the “OIV Statistical Brief: Wine, Table Grapes and Dried Grapes in 2025” will be published on the OIV website
From global data to international guidelines
The OIV's scientific contribution to the symposium continued until its closing days. On 2 October, Enrico Battiston, OIV Viticulture Head of Unit, presented “An overview of the OIV: Global data and common OIV guidelines” during the session “Smart Viticulture: From Field AI and Automated Monitoring to International Guidelines.” The presentation highlighted the importance of reliable international data and common guidelines in supporting scientific cooperation and addressing shared challenges across different production regions.
From institutional dialogue to scientific exchange, the OIV's participation in the 11th ITGS reflected the Organisation's commitment to engaging with the table grape sector at different levels. The activities in Murcia provided opportunities to strengthen connections with local and international stakeholders, share global knowledge and explore avenues for future cooperation on issues including climate resilience, water management, innovation, plant health, international trade and sustainable viticulture.
