South Africa has sold a greater volume of table grapes to markets in western Europe this year, but prices are reported to be generally lower than last season, according to the latest report from SATI, the South African Table Grape Industry partnership.
The organisation revealed that shipments to the region are currently 10 per cent up year-on-year. In 2008, exporters did extremely well in western Europe and Russia and it was expected that exporters would target these markets again in 2009.
However, South African table grapes are set to remain slightly under-supplied in the UK market over the next few weeks, with price levels in general very similar to last year when exporters reported an excellent season.
So far this season, South African export volumes to the UK are 13 per cent lower than at the same time last year, the group reported.
Prices for red seedless are “somewhat lower” than last year and comparable to that for white seedless, it said, but the situation is expected to remain stable until the end of the season.
The northern regions of South Africa have packed 3.3m cartons this year compared with last year’s 2.9m cartons.
The Orange River has exported 500,000 cartons more than last year, shipping a total of 15.1m cartons, while the Oliphants River region is set to export around 15-20 per cent less in terms of volume following recent unfavourable weather conditions.
In the Berg River region, meanwhile, growers are expected to pack some 11m cartons, while the Hex River region is still expected to reach around 16m-17m cartons despite the damage which resulted from last year’s flood.
