A shortage in supplies of Golden Delicious should soon come to an end with more fruit from South Africa due to arrive this week.
Capespan - the largest handler of South African fruit in the UK - was expecting another vessel to dock as the Journal went to press as growers begin to release fruit from controlled atmosphere (CA) storage.
"There was concern with regard to quality early on in the season and particularly pitting so growers were holding back fruit in store to see how it would mature, " said Capespan’sUK procurement director Martin Dunnett. "They also had a strategy to hold fruit back in CA for marketing later in the season."
Supplies have been tight for some two to three weeks as freight space in the conventional reefer market has also been tight.
Golden Delicious from South Africa is traditionally a sensitive product to handle and this year there have been more issues with pressure levels falling at the end of the picking period.
"It has been a case of two or three factors combining to affect the market, but fruit is starting to come through now with one big vessel expected this week and another three or four next week," said Dunnett. "Growers have saved their best fruit to put in store and we are expecting a strong finish to the season now."
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