Like an international cricketer who falls just short of that magical century, the South Africa citrus industry came tantalisingly close to reaching the 100m carton mark this year.
The packing season has ended on 99m cartons, with 97.2m cartons having been exported so far. 'It seems the 2010 citrus season is finally over with no increases in packed volumes for the past week,' says Justin Chadwick of the Citrus Growers Association. 'So we will have to retire on 99m.
'If we compare the 2008 shipped volume with the volume shipped in 2010, and bearing in mind that 2009 saw lower volumes and disrupted markets, it is evident that exports are moving into newer markets,' he notes.
In 2008, 52 per cent of South Africa's total citrus exports were shipped to the European Union, whereas in 2010 these markets only received 44 per cent.
'Exporters preferred to send their citrus to the Middle East (2008 - 18 per cent; 2010 - 22 per cent) and Russia (2008 - 9 per cent; 2010 - 12 per cent),' says Mr Chadwick.
He also pointed a finger at the UK market by quoting from a recent Fresh Produce Journal article which covered fresh produce trade between the United States and the United Kingdom. 'What was the point of supplying food to UK supermarkets who were discounting them so heavily that supply chain profitability became so difficult?' the article read.
'The report said that if the situation continued, US suppliers might instead consider the ever-expanding and financially attractive range of markets that were opening up around the world,' he explained. 'With South African citrus exports to the UK dropping from 13 per cent (in 2008) to 10 per cent (in 2010) we may already be seeing this trend which is exacerbated by the myriad of UK supermarket standards, certifications, etc.'
In the final analysis, South Africa packed 13 per cent more citrus fruit in 2010 compared with 2009, which was, as Mr Chadwick pointed out, a difficult season. In 2009 only 81.8m of the total volume of 87.6m cartons packed where actually exported. This year’s export figure already stands at 97.2m cartons, which is almost 20 per cent higher than the volume shipped last year. The grapefruit volume of 12.5m cartons was short of last year's 13.7m cartons, but 1.5m cartons more of soft citrus were shipped compared with 2009.
Lemons, at 9.6m cartons, were substantially higher than last year's 7.7m, while navels, on 22.9m cartons, also exceeded last year's volume of 19.1m cartons.
When the last Valencias are shipped, they will bring the curtain down on an excellent 2010 crop which will see 46.5m cartons being shipped compared to last year.s 35.3m cartons.
South Africans citrus growers are now counting their pennies, and as one exporter puts it, 'We are receiving lots of currency, but very few rands.'
The value of the South African currency is a real blow to growers who may lament in years to come that when they had one of their finest crops, the currency turned against them.
