U.S. #5489
2020 55¢ Fruits and Vegetables – Red and Green Grapes
Value: 55¢ 1-ounce First-class rate (Forever)
Issue Date: July 17, 2020
First Day City: Charleston, WV
Type of Stamp: Definitive
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 200,000,000
Table grapes are a delicious and nutritious snack enjoyed by countless people around the world. They can be found in seedless or seeded varieties and a wide range of colors, sizes, and sweetness levels. Some grapes are grown for wine or juice, while others – called table grapes – are for snacking.
Some of the most common table grape types found in supermarkets are Thompson Seedless or Flame Seedless. These are more abundant producers than other species, making them a favorite with growers and consumers alike. However, there are also some more interesting and unusual table grapes that are hybrids of two or more varieties. Cotton Candy, Kyoho, and Pione are a few examples of these special hybrid table grapes.
As of 2019, the world’s biggest table grape growers were Chile, Peru, the United States, China, Turkey, Spain, South Africa, and Australia. Altogether, the world grows over 20 million tons of the fruit each year. Since table grapes, like all grape species, are very labor- and time-intensive to grow, most backyard gardeners leave their production to commercial growers.
As the world becomes more health conscious, more and more people look for better alternatives to sugary snacks like candy and cookies. For many, sweet and juicy table grapes are great for satisfying sugar cravings in a much healthier way.