South African grape ready to close season with good balance of exports

Fresh Grape

Fruits

South Africa

Market & Price Trends

Published Mar 6, 2024

Tridge summary

The South African grape campaign is expected to end two weeks earlier than last year, with 91% of the volume already inspected for export. Despite a 6% volume drop in the Hex River region due to weather conditions, the overall volume has increased by 18% compared to last year. South Africa anticipates exporting 75.8 million boxes this season. However, logistical issues at Cape Town port have prompted grape exporters to consider other options. Despite these challenges, the European and UK markets have shown favorable prices and movement, but competition in the Middle East is intensifying due to India's lower production costs.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.

Original content

The South African grape campaign is expected to conclude at the end of March, two weeks earlier than last year. The industry (SATI) stated that packaging had entered its final phase, with 91% of the volume already inspected for export. To date, volume is up 18% year-on-year. In total, South Africa expects to export 75.8 million boxes this season. During week eight, 4.5 million cases were processed, primarily Crimson Seedless, Autumncrisp and Scarlotta Seedless. In the Hex River region, localized weather issues contributed to a 6% drop in volume to 22.4 million cartons. However, SATI said local producers enjoyed a good harvest and a climate that favored good color development. Packaging in the region, as well as in Berg, is underway. "The region expects to finish the season in the next 2-3 weeks, which is about 2 weeks earlier than last year," SATI said. Meanwhile, packaging has been completed in the northern provinces and the Orange River region. In the Olifants River region it ...

Source: MXfruit