The South African grape season is winding down with sendings so far down seven per cent on levels to the same point in 2007, according to figures released by trade body South African Table Grape Industry.
A total of 46.3 million carton equivalents had been exported by April 7.This figure is some 4.3m down on the same period last year.
The Hex Valley region is the only region still packing and harvesting has finished in all other regions.
The Olifants River area is the only one to show an increase on last season’s levels - by 14 per cent with a rise of 220,000 carton equivalents. In the Berg River area, sendings were down two per cent on 2006-07 levels at 270,000 cartons. So far export output from the Hex River Valley is
1.7 million carton equivalents, or 11 per cent down compared to the same time in the previous season. In the Orange River sendings were down 800,000 cartons, some five per cent on last season’s levels. And the Northern Province has seen its sendings hit the hardest: down 24 per cent (1m carton equivalents) on 2006-07.
