Goede Hoop Vrugte Ceres/Koue Bokkeveld and the Goede Hoop Citrus Citrusdal region produce 3 to 3.5 million 15 kg boxes of citrus and grow and pack some five million boxes of pome fruit (apples 18 kg and pears 12 kg). Is.
It’s been a busy start to summer in the Western Cape.
“Due to the hailstorm in the Wittenberg area, the quantity of apples for export will be reduced by 50%, maybe more,” says Melt van Schoor, sales manager at Goede Hoop Vrugte in Ceres. “In the local market, the loss would not be so noticeable. Plantations under the mesh were protected, but outside the anti-hail mesh the damage was great. Some of our growers lost 50% of the crop.”
Apples have suffered more damage than pears, and Melt expects customers to expect a higher volume of fruit than what is being offered this year.
“The past two years have been tough on apples. Last Pink Lady season in Europe was a disaster, but we had a good granny season in Canada and two European supermarket shows with good returns.”
Shipping rates appear to be coming down, which will increase the appeal to a distant market like Canada.
early pear harvest
Early Bon Chrétien (BC) and Rosemary pear harvests have just begun.
“Italy has been particularly good to us in terms of pears (Abate Fetel and Bc, Forelle not so much) and citrus.”
He continues: “Growers are definitely moving from Packhams and BC to Rosemary and Forley, using farming methods to get more color out of the plants.”
Goede Hoop is the largest supplier of pomegranate fruit in Vrugte retail seller South African pick n pay, which Melt says gives its stone fruit from the Bokeveld region and the citrus grown in Citrasdal an edge.
Goede Hoop Abate Fetel pears sell well in Italy
Plums have become a headache
Goede Hoop Vrugte’s Stone Fruit debuted in week 40, but rain prevented all of their export plans from coming to fruition. In addition, nectarine and plum prices in South Africa at the start of the season were pretty good, according to Melt.
The export of stone fruits is a small part of their activity (apart from boxes packed in their warehouses for other stone fruit exporters) and of these only nectarines, plums and d’Azène plums are exported. Peaches are sold only in the domestic market.
Plum exports have started in recent weeks. Ambrosia demand is good in Europe, but South Africa is a bit short, so the Middle East is filling up.
Plums have become a headache due to the oversupply that developed after expansion, and plum plantations are now being withdrawn.
“Russia was a very good market for us last year for green pears and apples and red and bicolor pears. We partnered with Zest.”
Melt van Schoor, Jan-Raas van der Linde and Enroux Smit
citrus
According to the expert, its citrus growers have not actually submitted reports of damage caused by hailstorm.
The new citrus season starts again in 15 or 16 weeks with satsumas, followed by clementines and his big project, the Nadorkot block, which will double in volume over the next two years.
“It’s still exciting to offer Nadorcot. People want them and they’re easy to sell,” he says, noting that they’re easier to market than clementines.
for more information:
melt van schur
good hope fruit
Tel: +27 23 315 5295
Email: [email protected]
https://ghfruit.co.za/
publication date:
