Guava industry looks for growth and improved cultivars

Despite a marginally lower crop predicted for this season, plenty of opportunities await guava producers in South Africa. Glenneis Kriel reports on the industry's recent annual general meeting.

- Glenneis Kriel

The Guava Producers’ Association of South Africa expects production in the Western Cape to reach approximately 25 300t this season, which is slightly lower than last season’s 25 955t, but higher than the industry average of about 24 700t.

The impact on production of the cold front that hit the Western Cape from mid-June is still uncertain, according to Jacques Jordaan, CEO of the association. Speaking at the association’s annual general meeting held recently in Simondium, he said that the cold had caused roots and fruit to stop growing, and this could affect fruit size and quality.

Based on feedback given by various farmers, the season had started later than usual in most regions, and more than three weeks late in Kraaifontein and Paarl. Although the season was not that late in Wellington, guavas in Wellington and Porterville seemed to ripen more slowly than usual, leaving farmers wondering whether this would result in a large quantity of fruit ripening simultaneously.

Jordaan pointed out that the area under production had declined from 653ha in 2017 to 487ha in 2022, and 462ha in 2023. Yield, however, had increased from 43t/ha in 2017 to 53t/ha in 2022 thanks to improved efficiencies.

Farmers at the meeting asked for the age of trees to be included in the association’s statistics in future, as guava trees could produce commercial yields for over 80 years.