Suppliers from South Africa’s Orange River region have joined the Western Cape Citrus Producers’ Forum (WCCPF) for the first time at a recent pre-season citrus planning congress at Citrusdal to coordinate the new summer citrus season in the US.
The joint meeting follows the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) recent recognition of new regions in South Africa as pest-free areas for citrus black spot disease, thereby opening the doors for growers in the Orange River to join the US-bound export programme.
“There is still a lot of work to be done before we start the season, but initial indications are that we could export up to 100,000 cartons of Star Ruby grapefruit from the Orange River this season,” Gerrit van der Merwe, WCCPF chairman, told Fruitnet.com.
USDA officials will visit the region during the next few weeks to establish the protocol readiness of growers, according to Mr Van der Merwe.
“We have never exported grapefruit to the US under the strict protocol conditions which we have to comply with, and we are naturally keen not to make any mistakes in the first year,” he explained.
Suppliers will face formidable challenges such as NDA screening and having to deliver product over much bigger distances which will increase the costs of exports.
That said, Orange River-grown grapefruit will bring a new dimension to South Africa’s export programme for the US since the fruit has not been doing particularly well in the Cape – its traditional growing region for exports to the North American market.
Meanwhile the Cape Citrus industry is also facing up to the challenges of a new season.
“We are facing challenges in coping with the protocols required under the US regulations, the cost of the programme, the best logistical frame work and the increasing competition which we will have to face in the market,” said Mr Van der Merwe.
This season WCCPF plans to increase sales in the US Mid-West and West Coast regions.
“We will be looking at the best logistical systems to do so and ensure that we make our products available to consumers across the US,” assured Mr Van der Merwe.
“We will defend our market share and that means that we have to grow our volumes. Along with the natural growth in our late mandarin production, we will also increase our navel shipments by 10 per cent.”
