SATI’s first forecast of new season backed by new research which suggests country’s grape variety mix remains in tune with market demand.
The South African table grape industry expects 2024/25 season volumes inspected for export to increase by approximately 1 per cent in comparison to the actual inspected volumes of the 2023/24 season, industry body SATI has announced.
The figure represents a 6 per cent increase on five-year average volumes, and puts South Africa in a good position to supply global markets with sufficient quality product, it said.
The country’s combined crop is estimate at 76.4mn cartons, with an upper limit expected at approximately 78.7mn cartons, and the lower limit expected at approximately 74.1mn cartons.
In its Northern Provinces, SATI attributed a marginal decrease of 3 per cent to an 8 per cent decrease in total area planted. “The Berg and Hex River Regions’ anticipated volumes are expected to remain very closely aligned with five-year averages,” it added.
Cold temperatures have been noted during the past winter season, it continued, something which it saw as a “positive indicator” for a quality crop: “The rain during winter increased dam levels favourably which supports sufficient water availability for a normal season.”
SATI’s latest vine census suggests a continued increase in white seedless cultivars, something which the group said indicated South Africa remained in tune with global market preferences.
“Producers remain focused on quality with the aim of supplying markets with product in an optimal condition,” it stated. “The development of a predictive logistics model commissioned by SATI will facilitate this outcome by factoring in data across the table grape value chain to forecast the most optimal logistics solution.”
