South Africa expects its first shipment of grapefruit to Japan from Port Elizabeth will gain approval from Japanese authorities this week.
A Japanese inspector was due at the port this week to carry out final checks of phytosanitary procedures for citrus exports to Japan, according to South Africa’s Citrus Growers Association (CGA).
“These will be the first consignments from Port Elizabeth to Japan – and we hope all goes well, and that we can build on this experience in the future,” said CGA CEO Justin Chadwick.
“Japan has always been a critical market for the grapefruit sector; it is important that we also take advantage of any opportunities for soft citrus, lemons and oranges.”
The announcement came on the back of last week’s 800,000 carton drop in the official grapefruit estimate.
Smaller-sized fruit has been sent increasingly to processing, according to Mr Chadwick, while larger-sized fruit is being kept for export.
The first shipment of South African grapefruit has already hit the Japanese market, which accounts for 23 per cent of the country’s grapefruit exports to far this season.
