When South African peach and nectarine exports started a few weeks ago, there were still Spanish, Iranian, and Jordanian fruit in the market, and the airfreight season took a while to get going, with the first volumes to the UK and the Middle East.
This is set to change with stonefruit volumes expected to pick up sufficiently from this week onwards to fill seabound containers, especially when the plum harvest commences. They are keen to get going with a stonefruit season on a much better footing than some years ago.
"There is a large crop hanging on the trees," says Zandré Fernhout of Pure Legacy, an exporter with a wide catalogue. "There is more fruit than we had last year - fruit set has been excellent."
He remarks that early and mid-season plums will peak in larger sizes, the counts that Europe and North America like, but it's still too early to say whether that will hold for late-season plums too.
© Pure Legacy
Tariffs won't dampen U.S. growth
The main buyers for South African stonefruit are situated in Europe and the Middle East. South Africa's stonefruit exporters are pleased by the new avenues opening up to them, notably in China. The tariffs instituted by the USA do not dampen the opportunities there for South African stonefruit. In fact, Fernhout says, U.S.-bound volumes could well increase this season.
Canada is another growth point he identifies, for stonefruit as well as for citrus.
Citrus is the engine that pulls their other wagons, a diverse package from butternuts to lucerne (alfalfa) and subtropical fruit. Table grapes will soon be grown in the Orange River Valley and the Loskop Valley; the bulk of their table grapes are grown in the Western Cape.
Strong season for strawberries & blueberries
Fernhout notes that the blueberry and strawberry export seasons have been progressing well. "There's a strong pull for strawberries from the market, and I think that's a combination of a number of factors, but it helps that we didn't clash with other origins at the start, like we did with stonefruit."
Local strawberry prices are also strong, and they support export price levels.
"It's a very good year in general for fruit quality," he says. "The only thing now is hoping that the weather plays along."
For more information:
Zandré Fernhout
Pure Legacy
Email: [email protected]
https://purelegacy.co.za/
