South African table grape industry recovers in 2024

After a complex 2022-23 season, where meteorological conditions caused volumes of South African table grapes to fall, low temperatures could boost production up to 370,000 metric tons (MT), as suggested by a recent report from the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA. If completed, this would mean a 16% year-over-year increase in volumes. In January last year, the Orange River region of the Northern Cape province suffered a heat wave that severely affected production. This region represents approximately 29% of the country's growing areas. However, the winter of 2023 recorded low temperatures in the main table grape producing regions, which is ideal during the dormancy cycle and contributes to the good size, color and quality of the grapes. These conditions also decreased the threat of pests. The profile of table grape varieties in South Africa has changed in the last decade. Consumers prefer seedless grapes and, consequently, varieties with them are decreasing. Less ...