Leading exporter Tru-Cape predicts strong start to European campaign after positive harvest.
Producers in South Africa who sell their fruit through export marketer Tru-Cape say they are optimistic about the current apple and pear harvest, thanks to expected good yields and positive conditions in all growing regions.
The pear season kicked off early in January, while the apple season is now in full swing.
“Except for the recent warm days, our summer has been cool to date,” commented Calla du Toit, Tru-Cape’s procurement manager and an apple and pear producer based in the Witzenberg Valley.
“When temperatures are scorching, the tree starts to stress, causing smaller fruit. In cooler conditions, you see growth of 3-4 mm each week, and the trees look happy.”
The apple season is about a week later than usual, but Du Toit said he expected later varieties to catch up.
“At this stage, we don’t expect a bumper crop because of fewer Fuji types, Royal Gala, and Pink Lady on the trees. However, we are cautiously optimistic about a good, average season with exceptional quality all around.”
According to all indications, Du Toit added, markets in Europe – including the UK – are likely to start taking significant volumes of Royal Gala quite early on.
“We are excited about these opportunities, as Tru-Cape’s Royal Gala offering has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, particularly thanks to the addition of BigBucks Gala and Flash Gala.”
