The only exporter of South African persimmons had 30 to 40% lower volumes this year, to the chagrin of their clients.
"We were all disappointed because the market was there and prices were good in all of our markets: Europe, the UK, the Middle East but the volumes just were not there," says Charl Stander, head of technical and quality control at Freshness First. The season ended very quickly, he notes, by mid-May already and the last of the South African persimmon crop has been sold in Europe.
After an incredible flowering period last year – plum orchards, for example, had the best bloom in 25 years – the fruit set in a number of crops like plums and persimmons turned out to be exceptionally poor. It just goes to show, Stander points out, that great flowering is no guarantee of a crop if the weather is not favourable.
Realigned South African persimmon industry
The persimmon industry went through a period of re-adjustment over the past few years as the owner of the Sharon fruit brand left the country. Many orchards changed hands and some were taken out, but around ten persimmon farmers have decided to stick with it, mostly the Triumph cultivar with a smattering of Rojo Brillante. Stander doesn't expect expansion of persimmon hectares in the foreseeable future.
South African consumers barely saw any persimmons locally, and Freshness First just started packing for their local supermarket programmes when fruit ran out.
"It appears to me that as persimmon volumes declined over the past few years, demand for the fruit has started to exceed the available supply. This season the demand was enormously good, and if we'd had 40% more persimmons we could have sold it all – and more – with ease," he remarks. "We're very upbeat about the future of South African persimmons."
For more information:
Charl Stander
Freshness First
Tel: +27 23 626 1846
Email: [email protected]