According to the latest table grape industry estimate South Africa should export approximately 63.6 million 4.5kg equivalent cartons in the 2022-23 shipping season.
The South Africa Table Grape Industry, based in Paarl, South Africa, released to FreshFruitPortal.com its final crop estimate for the 2022-23 table grape season.
According to the report, the South African table grape industry expects 2022-23 season volumes inspected for export to further decrease, following figures quoted in the second crop estimate published Dec. 20, 2022. It is anticipated that overall harvest volumes will be approximately 18.2% lower than figures recorded in the 2021-2022 season, and 11.4% lower than the original estimate.
The revised crop estimate anticipates a total of approximately 63.6 million cartons will be inspected for export, with the upper limit projected at 103% and the lower limit projected at 97% of this figure. The main reason for a further decrease in the national crop estimate is ascribed to lower yields packed in the Hex River Region to date, as well as lower yields expected for remaining cultivars in the region.
The crop estimate for this region has therefore been adjusted to 20.64 million cartons. This represents a reduction of 3.33 million cartons or 13.9% compared to the previous estimate. The latest actual figures for the Orange River Region and Northern Regions, where the season has concluded, total 16.4 million and 5.6 million cartons respectively.
Current crop estimates for the Olifants River Region (3 million cartons) and the Berg River Region (17.9 million cartons) remain unchanged. This crop estimate represents a reasonable deduction based on multiple factors, including information currently available.
