The South African citrus industry expects to ship fewer late mandarins to the US this season as strong markets for the ClemenGold and Nadorcott varieties draw supplies away from the US.
“I think that reduced volumes of the late mandarins will be shipped to the US this year,” Gerrit van der Merwe, chairman of the Western Cape Citrus Producers’ Forum, told Fruitnet.com.
“There is strong demand for the late mandarins in the UK and parts of western Europe and I will be surprised if growers ship much of this category to the US.”
Meanwhile, South Africa is on target with its Navel and Midknight Valencia shipments to the US this season, with total volume expected to reach 40,000 tonnes.
The figure will be more or less on the same level as last year’s total shipments despite the fact that South African crops are down compared to last years.
In addition, a slightly higher volume of South African Star Ruby grapefruit has been exported to the US so far this season in comparison to last year.
“Some 16,000 cartons will be sold in the US this year and although the volume is still small, we are looking forward to growth in the years ahead,” said van der Merwe.
The full report will be published in the August/September issue of Americafruit Magazine.
