South Africa's 2023/24 grape exports increased by nearly 20%; multi-port strategy improves logistics

The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) has reported a significant 17% increase in grape exports for the 2023/24 season, reaching 73.5 million boxes, up from 63.9 million in the previous season. This growth is attributed to unexpectedly high harvests, especially in the Orange River region, with Sweet Globe leading as the largest export variety, alongside notable increases in Autumn Crisp, Early Sweet, and Ivory varieties. Despite a reduction in grape planting areas in the Northern Province and Heck River region, the total area is expected to stabilize at approximately 19,800 hectares. The industry faced logistics challenges, including delays of two Clara vessels, but managed to mitigate these through alternative shipping strategies, including the use of other ports and conventional vessels. This adjustment saw a significant portion of exports going through Port Elizabeth and by conventional vessels, while exports through Cape Town Container Terminal and Maputo Port saw a decrease.