The quality and production of grapes are good of just about all production areas. "At the moment volumes are in line with those of last year" Wibo van den Ende of South African Fruit Exporters (SAFE) says. "Despite a few hailstorms, which sporadically caused some damage, the cultivation conditions were first class. It was a little cooler and this caused a delay of ten to fourteen days during the season."
Wibo expects that season for Red Globe grapes will run another two to three weeks and estimates that the Barlinka and Dauphine season will run to about the second week of May. "The demand for grapes is quite different. There was a big demand from Asia for all seedless varieties and Red Globe (white, red and black) during the entire season. In a few years time Asia has developed into a very important sales area for these grapes."
"From Russia the demand was mainly for the Red Globe with seeds. The sale to Europe was strong, but is now a lot more difficult. Prices of South African grapes are at a reasonable level and are stable in Asia and the Middle East. In Europe prices are weak especially for arrivals after week 6/7. Nevertheless I expect a strong European market for the last Red Globe, Dauphine and Barlinka" Wibo says.
According to the exporter the supermarket programs have a dominating position in Europe. Also in Russia and Eastern Europe they dominate the market more and more and the role of the so-called free market decreases all the time. "Furthermore Asia continues to develop. The number of Asian countries allowing South African fruit to enter increases and that has a positive impact on the export of South African fruit."