CALIFORNIA, LED BY FRESNO COUNTY, IS THE LEADING SUPPLIER OF RAISINS IN THE NATION.

Although farmers and nurseries have been anticipating the release of the grape for several years, it may be at least one more year before it becomes available.

Tia Russell, horticulturist for Duarte Nursery in Hughson, said clippings of the vine have been provided to the University of California, where they are checked for viruses and propagated for distribution to nurseries, who pay a licensing fee.

The process can be time consuming and frustrating for nurseries anxious to get their hands on a potentially hot seller.

“This could be something that really takes off, and that’s why some nurseries are in a rush to get their hands on it,” Russell said.

But Russell said investing in a new variety also has risks. A nursery could spend thousands of dollars on licensing fees for several years and the product may not deliver as promised.

“As a business, when a customer asks for it, you want to be able to say ‘Yes, you have it,’ ” Russell said. “But it can be a gamble.”

FOR DECADES, THE THOMPSON SEEDLESS GRAPE HAS BEEN THE PREFERRED GRAPE FOR MAKING RAISINS.

Craig Ledbetter, a geneticist with the USDA’s San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center in Parlier, is shepherding the release of Sunpreme. He acknowledges there are kinks to work out, including how to harvest.

On the USDA’s experimental farm in Parlier, the Sunpreme test plot has raisins dangling from all sides of the vine. The fruit falls easily off the vine, a concern of growers who worry about losing too much during harvest.

Also an issue is the taste. The fruit has a slightly different flavor than a regular Thompson seedless raisin. It tends to not be as sweet and have a hint of muscat flavor. That could be appealing to some consumers, but not to others, Ledbetter said.

Steve Spate, a raisin grower near Selma, said harvesting is something growers can figure out. And the taste difference has resulted in mixed opinions. Some prefer the traditional Thompson seedless while others like the fruitier-tasting Sunpreme.

“We may be able to sell it as another natural seedless raisin,” Spate said. “It is very promising.”

Spate, who is also a grower representative for the Fresno-based Raisin Bargaining Association, said that while it remains to be seen if Sunpreme can make the industry more profitable, one thing is certain: The trend toward mechanization continues.

“As labor becomes more of an issue, there is no question that mechanization will be the future of this industry,” Spate said. “Without the labor to do these jobs, there aren’t a lot of options.”

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