Valley raisin harvest is underway a few weeks early

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crews are hard at work in Valley vineyards clipping Thompson Seedless Grapes, and laying them out on trays to dry.

In two weeks the grapes will become raisins. But Biola grower Jerry Lung is looking at a much smaller crop.

Lung said, "My tray counts are down 40% from last year."

He says the drought hit many grape growers hard. Some of his vines are almost 100 years old but still very productive - if they can get enough water.

"By December with no rainfall there was no moisture in the vines," said Lung. "We had a very cold snap in there in December and I think it just froze everything inside the cane including the buds that would produce grapes for this year."

Full trays normally lay side by side but some vines did not produce this year.

Lung added, "As you can see there starts to be spaces here and as you get down the row they're more substantial."

The grapes have started to yellow a day after harvest. Lung says that means they have a high sugar content.

"I think the bunches were a little bigger last year," said Lung. "This year there are less bunches and the bunches are actually smaller."

Overall, the Valley raisin crop is projected to be at least 10-percent lighter.