Challenging season for South African apple exporters

The South African top fruit growers are having a challenging time this year, after a couple of seasons of drought and high temperatures they are struggling to get size and colour into the fruit. Economic conditions in the country are also making certain markets more difficult than normal.

But, despite all these challenges, Roelf Pienaar, Managing Director at one of the country’s biggest top-fruit exporters, Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, remains positive.

"The season started a bit later this year, but, overall, the crop size, especially on pears, was smaller than expected. We are currently finalizing our Cripps Pink/ Pink Lady volume. Overall, the Western Cape has been very dry with high temperatures, which is not helping,” he says.

Roelf goes on to say that the overall volume will be around the same as last year, although the split between export and local will vary from previous years. "As an organisation we are fortunate to have a wide customer range. We are currently exporting to 104 countries. Our extensive local market footprint, coupled with our global customer base, definitely helps us in placing the volume more effectively, enabling us to maximise the returns for our grower shareholders.”

"The Middle East and African markets are definitely under pressure at the moment. The main reason for this is the lower oil price, and, basically, the macro economic environment is making it difficult to trade in these markets. However, with the upcoming Ramadan period, we definitely want to maximize our shipments to these markets." In Nigeria, the pressure remains on getting USD out of the market - this has been the same situation over the last 18 months.”

In the Far East markets the requirement for South African apples and pears is looking good. "We don't really have the size or colour to compete with other Southern Hemisphere producers in the Chinese market," said Roelf "But we remain cautiously optimistic that when South African pears gain access to the Chinese markets we might be able to compete.”

The Indian government banned the imports of apples and pears from China from 1st June, and Roelf commented that while it is still too early to say, there might be an opportunity for South African product for this market.

"All in all we are positive about the rest of the 2017 season. It is important for us that as a company we deliver on the set expectation.” Roelf ends.