Possible record for the export of stonefruit from South Africa

Favourable weather conditions and an expansion of the crop area have ensured a record export of stonefruit from South Africa for the 2014/15 season, reports the German Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (AMI) (Agricultural Market Information Service) on their website. According to first estimates, 17.56 million boxes of stonefruit will be exported from South Africa. If that happens it would be 10% more than last year. However, the estimates for the export for the 2013/14 season were clearly higher than the final, actual export amount.

The South African branch association, Hortgro, expects the strongest export growth in nectarines, where the export volume will increase by 15%, to 3.4 million boxes. The export volume for both peaches and plums will be 10% higher than last year. The export volume of peaches will reach 1.7 million boxes and 11.5 million boxes for plums. Only the export of apricots will slightly decrease (-1%), and reach approximately 960,000 boxes.

In South Africa the 2014/15 stonefruit season began 10 days earlier than last year.