The South African stonefruit industry has bounced back well from a challenging 2023/24 season, with volumes increasing and a turning point reached in the logistical crisis.

The 2023/24 season saw production and trade disrupted by extreme weather events that included storms hitting farms, along with fog and strong winds impacting the Port of Cape Town.

Port delays due to a series of widely reported logistical issues added further complications for exporters.

However, the picture at the conclusion of the 2024/25 season is much more rosy.

Industry body Hortgro described the season as favourable, with overall volumes rising compared to the year before.

The main drivers for the increase were a greater number of nectarine and plum hectares coming into production, alongside a rebound for apricots after the previous season’s down crop.

Plums – South Africa’s biggest stonefruit crop – saw a 22 per cent jump in export volumes, with 13.8mn cartons sold.

Nectarine sendings rose 16 per cent to 9.4mn cartons, while apricots leapt 50 per cent to 678,666 cartons.

Only peaches experienced a downturn, with a 4 per cent reduction to 1.6mn cartons exported.

“South African stonefruit has continued to meet the market’s expectation for high-quality and great-tasting produce with a more stable logistical network,” said Jacques du Preez, general manager of trade and markets at Hortgro.

“While consumers worldwide face economic pressures due to high inflation and limited spending power, the demand for fresh fruit remains steady.”

The season was not without its challenges. Although supply was much more reliable, growers reported delays due to wind in the second half of the season.

Nevertheless, the overall picture is positive and Du Preez said a turning point has also been reached in the logistical crisis, in spite of some ongoing challenges.

“As the collective fruit industries, we continue to work closely with Transnet and specifically the management of the Port of Cape Town to ensure a smooth logistical operation,” he said.

“Late-season issues related to logistics have caused some delays, resulting in fruit ageing for the last few arriving vessels.

”However, improvements in the overall port operations were evident in the season,” Du Preez added.

Exporters are anticipating further progress at the Port of Cape Town following the recent delivery of new equipment, which is currently being assembled and will be in place in time for next season.

The UK remains a key market for South African stonefruit, and Hortgro hopes to retain and ultimately increase market share in UK supermarkets.

Sales of South African nectarines have increased by 18 per cent increase year-on-year, with peaches and plums also up 9 per cent and 16 per cent respectively.

Reference Link, Fruitnet News