The final pallets of the cherries that producer ZZ2 grows in the north of South Africa left the country on Monday, to buyers prepared to pay for what are some of the few cherries available worldwide during October.
That's the month after Canada and before Chile and South Africa's Western Cape have begun harvesting, and the demand at this time for these early South African cherries is very positive, says Chris Swart of Core Fruit. They sell quickly in the Middle East, in the Far East, and in the UK.
© Core Fruit
Traditionally, Europeans weren't looking for the fruit outside of cherry time, so closely associated with Christmas, he notes, and now even from there, enquiries are increasing.
Ahead of this season, it had seemed to them as if Canada could perhaps end later, but before they knew it, he says, their clients indicated that Canadian cherries were sold out, and they were off to a flying start. "Our cherries moved very quickly in and out."
Rain abbreviated the tail-end of the crop a bit, but they'd done what they wanted to.
© Core Fruit
Crop encourages high expectations
In the Western Cape, nectarines have been packed for around three weeks. The plum harvest will follow in another two or three weeks.
"At this stage the stonefruit season is looking really positive in terms of volume and quality, and the main reason for that," he observes, "has been the dry, warm springtime we've had this year." The sugars and the colour seem to have particularly gained, he remarks.
On stonefruit, USA & China require much the same
South African stonefruit has been finding a niche for itself in the USA, and they won't let that go, he says. "In the USA, we're told, our stonefruit is considered better than the South American alternative and slightly earlier too."
South Africa's stonefruit volumes are much smaller than Chile's. "Our eating quality is a differential factor in the US. So, the volumes going there will be less, but we're not closing that market."
South Africa may send stonefruit to China for the first time, and fortuitously, he remarks, the specs that China requires as well as the shipping protocols are very similar to those of the United States.
For more information:
Chris Swart
Core Fruit
Tel: +27 21 863 6300
http://www.corefruit.com/
