Importers handling South African stone fruit report delays to the start of the stone fruit season of up to two weeks days and the blame is laid squarely with the weather.
A cold snap in South Africa at the end of August was most to blame for delaying blossoming and the effects have been felt most of all by plums in the Western Cape. Poor weather in Gauteng earlier in the production cycle has also played its part. Most major shippers have had to air freight fruit to meet demand in the UK and to try and compensate for the late start by making up valuable days on journey time.
Peaches, plums and nectarines have all been on stream now in the UK for about two weeks and prices have been strong: as much as 50p a piece on wholesale markets. But South Africa does not have the market to itself and late season stored Israeli plums have been performing well. Capespan, the largest shipper out of South Africa is also handling Zimbabwean fruit and early air freight volumes of peaches, nectarines and plums are coming onto the market already.
Quality this year is expected to be exceptional because of the late start. Because fruit has been on trees for longer sugar content is high and keeping and storage quality are also expected to be boosted.
Shippers warn however that availability will be tight once the market, which is a little flat this week, gets going nearer Christmas, availability will be tight and plums, for example, are likely to become available in good volumes in Christmas week itself. Greater quantities are expected in the new year though.
Grape is also coming on stream later than usual and when volumes do become available they are likely to be met by keen demand as Brazilian grape is ending its season and leaving a gap on the marketplace. Receivers are confident they will be able to fulfil demand during the traditional promotional period in January and February.
