The South African apple and pear growers are targeting the top spot as China’s main supplier

Published Feb 24, 2024

Tridge summary

South Africa has become China's second-largest supplier of imported apples and has seen a significant increase in pear exports in 2023. The growth is attributed to plantation expansion and varietal innovation, with a 5% increase in cultivation areas over the past five years. The country produces about 2.2 million metric tons of apples, pears, and various stone fruits annually. Projections for 2024 indicate a 7% increase in apple exports, while pear exports are expected to remain stable. The country is also working on efficiency issues at the Port of Cape Town, the primary shipping point for these fruits. Additionally, South Africa is set to commence exports of stone fruits to China from the 2025/26 season.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

As a major Southern Hemisphere exporter of apples and pears, South Africa has emerged as China’s second-largest supplier of imported apples and also saw a surge in pear exports to China in 2023. Recently, Jacques du Preez, general manager for trade and markets at Hortgro Pome, delivered a WeChat lecture to over 1,000 listeners of Produce Report. During the lecture, du Preez provided insights into the latest production and export status of South African apples and pears, along with predictions for what lies ahead in 2024. According to du Preez, South Africa’s apple and pear industry has been able to maintain continuous growth through a combination of plantation expansion and varietal innovation. Over the past five years, the cultivation areas for apples and pears have each increased by 5% to a total of approximately 34,400 hectares. Analysis of the tree age distribution reveals that 7–9% of trees have yet to bear fruit, indicating a healthy stage of development for the industry. ...

Source: Producereport