The latest crop estimates released by the South African grower organisation, Hortgro Services, points to the country harvesting a record pear export crop this season. The projection of 14,574 million cartons is around one percentage point up on last year.
With the apple crop now estimated at 26,5 million export cartons, the country’s total pome fruit export volume will reach 41,126 million cartons.
Packham’s Triumph, which is the largest single pear cultivar, will contribute 6,1-million cartons, which is 2 percent more than last year, Williams Bon Chretion 2,375 million cartons, a reduction of 4 percent, and Forelle 2,3 million cartons. The Forelle crop is 3 percent higher than last year.
The apple export crop will see a significant rise in volumes of Fuji, which comes in 14% higher than last year. Golden Delicious will be down 2 percent and Granny Smith more or less at the same level as last year. While the overall crop of Pink Lady/Cripps Pink will only be one percent up on last year, growers in the Elgin Vyeboom region expect a big crop.
In Europe South African exporters will face a formidable task with European stock levels of apples and pears at the beginning of February being at record levels.
Meanwhile, fears that the export season will be hampered by negative exchange rates are proving true, with the South African currency strengthening further during the past few days. Growers point out that the South African Rand has strengthened by three percentage points compared to the same time last year and fear that this will hit them hard in terms of net farm income.
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