Guava association expects smaller 2024 harvest

The Guava Producers' Association (GPA) has adjusted its guava production estimate down from 25 200t to 22 500t, making the harvest 16% smaller than the 26 641t harvested last season and the smallest harvest in the past three years.

- Glenneis Kriel

The harvest runs from April until November, with production starting in Porterville, followed by Wellington, Paarl and Kraaifontein, and ending in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.

Willem Grobbelaar, chairperson of the GPA, told Farmer's Weekly that production was expected to be normal in Wellington, Kraaifontein and Mossel Bay, but it started late in Porterville, with fruit being small in general because of the warm summer temperatures and late onset of winter. Production in Paarl was also expected to be below average because of wind damage suffered in April.