South Africa’s deciduous fruit faces several challenges this season, with only nectarines appearing to see a positive performance. The citrus industry in particular faces challenges, including from the European regulatory authorities.

Stone fruit

The conclusion of the early South African stonefruit crop reveals a positive trajectory for nectarines, exceeding initial expectations. But in the early plum crop, challenges persist despite substantial investments made in recent years.

Hortgro, a prominent industry authority, predicts a 20% increase in nectarine exports this year, reaching 9.2 million cartons compared to the previous season's 7.7 million.

This surge is attributed to the production from young orchards and new cultivars with higher yields. Despite this optimistic outlook, logistical issues in the port of Cape Town have hindered nectarine exports.

The early plum crop, a focus of recent investments, is expected to end 4% below last season's volume. While certain regions report increases in early plum production, wind damage to fruit has affected packouts, contributing to the overall decrease in export volume.

Apricots experience declining volumes, with an anticipated 33% year-on-year drop in the export crop. This trend aligns with a consistent decrease observed in peach exports over the past few seasons.

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Citrus

South Africa has recently had a number of problems with the standards authorities in the EU, with an inconsistent pattern of rejected shipments impacting local producers in unpredictable ways.

In a letter addressed to the EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food, and Feed, the South African Citrus Growers' Association (CGA) expressed serious doubts about the accuracy and reliability of testing procedures conducted by EU member state laboratories.

The letter highlighted investigations revealing false positive test results and erroneous reporting during the current season. These concerns are central to the longstanding dispute between the EU and South Africa, posing a threat to the future of South African citrus exports to the EU.

The CGA pointed out instances where reported pests did not occur in South Africa, fruit was produced in pest-free areas, or clear evidence indicated that the pest was not alive. The association called for a comprehensive analysis of all interceptions of South African citrus during the 2023 season.

Emphasizing South Africa's commitment to phytosanitary responsibilities, the CGA urged EU Member States to ensure accurate and reliable testing procedures. The association called for a full analysis of contested inspections and reporting, aiming for mutual continuous improvement and confidence in the EU Traces report.

The CGA expressed the need for a constructive and evidence-based exchange between South Africa and the EU, aiming for a mutually satisfactory resolution in the spirit of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

This dispute comes at an inopportune time, due to major flood damage in the Western Cape during the rainy season, as well as  increased pressure on the port systems, which have been straining under immense backlogs, affecting the shelf-life of refrigerated fresh produce.

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Ports challenges

These challenges have driven demand for specialised refrigeration containers (“reefer units”) to cope with the logistical disruption.

Export logistics disruptions, particularly in the port of Cape Town, are anticipated to drive up demand for specialised reefers for the remainder of the South African season. As the season progresses, there are expectations of weekly specialised reefer shipments over the next eight to ten weeks, indicating a strategic response to logistical challenges.

Despite being a more expensive option, specialised reefer terminals are viewed as vital to ensuring the success of fruit exports.

The industry has recently placed pressure on the Western Cape government and the national transport authorities to try to alleviate disruptions and get the ports up to standard. But at the present time, the national government has not been adequately responsive.