SATI Expects Average Table Grape Exports This Season

According to the latest forecast by South African Table Grape Industry (SATI), South Africa is expected to export 66 million cartons (4.5-kilogram equivalent) or 297,000 metric tons of table grapes in the 2022/23 season, with a 3% margin of error. This is the second crop estimate for this season following the initial one released in October of last year.

Although the projected export volume is just close to the average against a five-year backdrop, it still translates to adequate supplies of quality table grapes for overseas markets.

Adverse weather conditions have led to an earlier than usual harvest and a smaller crop in the Orange River region. This region is currently estimated to produce 16 million cartons of table grapes, dropping by 28.4% compared with the previous season.

The output in the Northern Provinces region is expected to contract by 31.5% to 5.1 million cartons in the 2022/23 season. Also owing to the bad weather, fruit quality has become a major concern for growers in the region.

The Olefants River region is forecast to yield 3 million cartons of table grapes, down by 15.7%. Because the region is the smallest producing area in the country, however, the impact of this on total production will be minimal.

In early December, both the Hex River and Berg River regions experienced abnormal rainfall but the resulting crop damage is expected to be minor.

SATI also said in its report that it may make further adjustments to the estimates as the season proceeds.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.