Grape harvests in decline

 

 

SATI has released its 3rd harvest estimate for the 2017-18 table grape campaign. This new estimate provides for production that will be between 55.4 million boxes (1 carton = 4.5 kg) and 59.3 million boxes. That is a decrease of 18% for the low hypothesis and a decrease of 12.2% for the high hypothesis compared to the 2016-17 season.

 

 

 

This drop in volumes is mainly due to drought-related problems affecting Western Cape, home to 3 of the country's 5 producing regions.

 

 

 

However, export volumes should be close to normal until the end of February, but the harvest period will be shorter than in previous years.