South African apples and pears: Apple exports to increase by 12% in 2024, with another 5% growth expected in 2025

Published Feb 8, 2025

Tridge summary

South Africa's fruit industry is expected to see a slight increase in production in 2025, with pear production experiencing a minor uptick and apple exports set to rise by 5%. Red and bi-color apples, including Royal Gala, Pink Lady, and Flash Gala, are anticipated to drive the export growth. Pear exports are projected to reach 21.1 million boxes, marking a 4% increase from 2024, with Forelle, Abate Fetel, and Packham's Triumph varieties expected to see growth. The delay in the harvest by 7-10 days compared to the previous season does not signal any concerns and the quality of the fruit is reported to be excellent.

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

Original content

Pear production is also expected to increase slightly compared to the 2024 season. The nights are cool, which is good for fruit growth and skin coloring. So far, there has been little sunburn on the fruit, and the mild weather has been generally good for fruit growth. The harvest time this season has been delayed by 7-10 days compared to the previous season, but the overall progress is still within normal range. South African apple exports are expected to increase by 5% in 2025. Red/bi-color apples such as Royal Gala (6%), Pink Lady (7%), and Flash Gala (24%) will drive most of the export growth. The outlook for Cripps Red/Joya exports is also very positive, with an expected increase of 9%. The increase in exports is mainly due to the large number of newly planted orchards coming into production and good fruit quality. Pear exports are expected to reach 21.1 million boxes, an increase of 4% over 2024. Forelle and Abate Fetel exports are expected to increase by 7% ...

Source: Foodmate