Fruitnet.com reports that supplies from the Southern Hemisphere are forecast to be scarce on the European market from November onwards.
Severe rainfall in Brazil and cooler-than-normal weather conditions in South Africa are anticipated to cause a shortage of table grapes on the
European market from mid-November to mid-December, according to importers.
“The volume of exportable fruit in Brazil was already down by 15-25 per cent in Brazil even before the downpour, so now with all vineyards affected in Petrolina that figure has risen to 45 per cent,” Entse van der Woude of Timerfruit told Fruitnet.com.
“There have also been delays to the South African crop because of cold weather in the Transvaal, but the crop is catching up quickly, according to our latest updates.
“Even so, Brazil has also shipped more red seedless table grapes to the US this season (because of good prices), so there’s likely to be a supply gap for the European market from mid-November to mid-December.”
Meanwhile it is reported from the Orange River that the Karsten Group has started packing at three of its production units in the Orange River region. “Harvesting at Klein Pella, Raap & Schraap and Blouputs are underway and the grapes looks very good,” says Piet du Plessis, General Manager of Karsten Farms. “Recent cooler weather will benefit the colour of Flame Seedless but we do not anticipate that it will delay our packing.”
The Karsten Group has already been packing its new season melons and water melons for the local market for a couple of weeks and at its Hoogland Farm in the Western Cape the final touches are being made to preparations for this season’s berry crop.
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