But the big hope is to crack the mainland China market.

The study says Hong Kong imported $80 million of Australian table grapes last year, a surge of 141 per cent on the figures for 2008.

In dollar terms, Australia was the third-biggest exporter to Hong Kong last year, behind Chile and the US, but Australian growers received a far better price per kilogram than their Chilean competitors, according to the study produced for the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.

Although Australian growers can export fruit to Hong Kong, they cannot export it to mainland China, but are hopeful that this could soon change.

Australian Government officials and representatives from the Australian Table Grape Association are negotiating a protocol with their Chinese counterparts in an effort to allow exports to China.

Jeff Scott, chief executive of the association, said the size, sweetness, colour and presentation of Australian table grapes made them well-suited to the Chinese market.

Mr Scott said gaining access to China was a prime goal of the industry. ''We're hopeful that that's going to happen in the very near future,'' he said.

''Once we gain direct access, we would hope that China would perhaps become our major country for export, and obviously based on the statistics, we're anticipating some huge demand.''

The industry is also seeking approval to export table grapes to Japan and South Korea.

''In time - it could be 12 months, it could be two years - we could have access probably to every Asian country and that's our major export focus. And there's enormous potential for growth in all those countries,'' Mr Scott said.

The report, produced by the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the Department of Primary Industries, says: ''If a protocol can be signed, then potential for extra supply into the market is huge.''

The lead author of the report, Philip Webley, said that in Hong Kong and mainland China it is considered prestigious to buy imported fruit, which people also like to give as gifts.

Table grape exports to other nations such as Thailand and Vietnam had also grown strongly in recent years, Mr Webley said. And there was further potential for growth.

Table grapes were Australia's biggest horticultural export last year, with sales totalling about $190million.