Later than last season
"This first seafreight arrival is this year a week later than last season," he continues. "This is the result of the late start of the South African harvest. The difference compared to the season at the end of 2011 is about one to two weeks. The reason of the later start is that South Africa had a longer winter period. This was a good basis for the coming top fruit season with many and good flowers during the flowering period and a good start of the fruit. The fruit now on the trees is of good quality, round and good of colour."
"In this first container are the new varieties Super Star nectarines and Amber Crest peaches, which are exclusively marketed under licence by Capespan. There is a good demand and sales this week for these first nectarines and peaches. Just about everything has been sold already. The varieties Super Star and Amber Crest are modern, tasty new varieties, the production of which will increase in South Africa during the coming years. Last season we received these varieties for the first time and there were only a few pallets. This new season we receive a few containers and we expect more for the coming years. This because of the larger production of existing trees and new plantings starting to produce."
Good supply and volumes before Christmas
After this first arrival Capespan Continent expect weekly arrivals by seafreight container. "During the coming two weeks it will still be a limited volume, because of the somewhat later season in South Africa. For the selling weeks in December before Christmas a good supply and volumes are expected. In total South Africa expect a larger harvest of nectarines this season, especially because new orchards are starting to produce. Also for peaches, apricots and plums we are sure of a good harvest with comparable volumes or slightly more than last season. The first early plums are expected around Christmas. After the start of the South African top fruit season we plan for nectarines, peaches, apricots and plums from Chile with effect from the end of January," Joep concludes.