Update on South Africaâs apple and pear crops South Africaâs main apple and pear production areas in the Western region had an excellent winter season with ample rain, snow and cold units, says Neil Truter, Quality Assurance and Grower Relations manager of Vanguard South Africa. This was followed up by very good flower and set periods between October and December 2020. These favorable conditions provide a good indicator for a strong apple and pear crop this season.
The Western Cape experienced less wind and overall good weather conditions. Unfortunately, the Eastern Cape did not experience the same. In mid-January, a hailstorm ripped through the Eastern Cape production area of Langkloof. 1,500 of the 5,500 Ha were affected.
Market overview southern hemisphere grapes
Overall growing and demand
Peru and Chilean grape demand is particularly strong in Mexico, and increasing in Canada, the USA, and Asia as California completes their ‘storage season’. Vanguard is seeing the first arrivals of grapes from their own ranches in Peru into various markets around the world and the results have been very positive season to date. Overall quality and condition have been very well received.
Peruvian grapes
The Peru grape harvest for traditional red and green grapes will be completed by the third week of February. IP varieties will be completed by the end of February, followed by the organic grape harvest predicted to be completed the first week in March.
While consumer fears abate, cherry prices remain depressed in China
During the last week of January, inspectors in China detected Covid-19 on a shipment of imported cherries. The market saw immediate effects from the breaking of this news: prices and demand dropped. “The initial news of a Covid-19 positive test on cherries had an almost immediate negative impact on prices,” says Craig Stauffer, CEO of Vanguard International. “There was some brief positive movement on sales volumes and prices as markets believed that priced had hit rock bottom, willing to gamble that prices would increase. However, with additional volumes arriving, we are once again seeing downward pressure on prices.”