South Africa’s grape season accelerates

South Africa’s table grape season is gathering pace, and early inspection numbers suggest the crop is outpacing the slow start in exports — a sign the industry is entering the 2025–26 campaign with resilience and confidence.

According to SATI, packing was already underway in two of the country’s five production regions by Week 46. Early exports remained sharply lower — down 80% year-on-year at 29,320 cartons — but packing activity has since accelerated.

Inspection volumes tell a different story: 958,421 cartons (4.5 kg) were inspected and cleared for export, a 24% increase compared with the same period last season. Despite the slow export start, SATI has kept its national estimate unchanged at 79.4 million cartons, up 0.6% from the actual export figure in 2024–25.

Producers in the Northern Provinces and Orange River, where packing has begun, are maintaining their initial crop expectations. If favourable weather holds, both regions are expected to meet or slightly exceed their forecasts.

Prime, Starlight and Early Sweet® were the leading varieties driving Week 46 inspection volumes. Early Sweet®, Starlight and Prime also dominated early exports, most of which were directed to the European Union.

Regionally, the Northern Provinces reported 900,790 packed cartons — a 45% rise from last year — and anticipate a crop about 15% larger than the previous season. Orange River, meanwhile, packed 57,630 cartons, 61% less than a year earlier, though vine health remains strong and early varieties, including Early Sweet®, Prime and Flame Seedless, have already entered the line. Packing of Tawny Seedless and ARRA 29™ began in Week 47.

Other regions such as Olifants River, Berg River and Hex River are preparing to start, with promising crop development and high-potential estimates.

Logistics remain the industry’s key challenge. Wind and fog disruptions at Cape Town Container Terminal caused 193 hours of downtime in the first three weeks of November, underscoring the urgency of operational upgrades — including the rollout of new RTGs — ahead of peak season.

source: frutasdechile.cl

photo: paltrack.co.za