Unfavourable climatic conditions are taking a big toll on pome and stone fruit exports

Pome and stone fruit production and exports are set to take a hit in 2024, reports Glenneis Kriel.

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Apple exports are expected to decline by 4% yearon-year to 43,4 million 12,5kg-equivalent cartons in 2023 and pear exports by 16% to hail damage suffered towards the end of 2022 in the Ceres Valley and Langkloof, according to Hortgro.

Jacques du Preez, Hortgro’s general manager of trade and markets, however, said that apple exports were still expected to be the third highest, due to new improved orchards that came into production in combination with a sharp increase in volumes from regions that were not affected by the hail, such as Elgin, Grabouw, Villiersdorp and Vyeboom.

It was still too early to tell what would happen with pome fruit season in 2024, but the general expectation was that volumes would be higher, thanks to the good seasonal rain, more favourable climatic conditions, and the fact that farmers’ dams were full, leaving them with enough water to take them through the next production season.

The area that is under pome fruit production is slowly stabilising, and increased by a mere 1% year-on-year for both fruit to 25 438ha for apples and 12 950ha for pears in 2022.

With the establishment of new orchards, Du Preez said there was a definite focus on planting what the market wanted, with red and bicoloured red apple cultivars being planted the most. The area under RDS, sold under the tradename JOYA increased by 250ha over the past three seasons, whereas the area under Royal Gala and other Gala types, and Cripps Pink, which are sold under the Pink Lady tradename, were also increasing.