On September 29, 2023 the South African table grape industry anticipated that the volume of grapes they plan to export in the 2023/2024 season will increase by roughly 12% compared to the actual inspected volumes of the 2022/2023 season. They projected a national crop estimate of 328.5 million kilograms (kg), with the upper expected limit at approximately 339.4 million kg and the lower expected limit at about 318.6 million kg.
These are the different regions and their respective expected grape crop estimates for the upcoming season, along with comparisons to the previous season’s yields.
Orange River Region
In the Orange River Region, they expected to harvest approximately 94.95 million kg of grapes, a notable increase from the 74.7 million kg exported in the previous season.
Northern Region
In the Northern Region, the estimate was about 26.55 million kg, compared to last season’s 25.2 million kg exported.
Berg and Hex River Regions
The Berg and Hex River Regions weren’t significantly affected by adverse weather conditions in the previous season, so they anticipated their grape volumes to remain similar to historical levels. The Berg River Region’s crop was estimated at 85.95 million kg, slightly higher than the 85.5 million kg exported in the last season. The Hex River Region expected to yield approximately 105.75 million kg of grapes, up from 95.4 million kg in the previous season.
Olifants River region
The Olifants River region projected a crop estimate of 15.3 million kg, compared to 13.5 million kg exported in the previous season.
The recent winter featured low temperatures, which benefited grape dormancy cycles. Despite unusual rain during the previous harvest season due to changing weather patterns, early indications suggested that sufficient grape volumes would be produced in each region in the 2023/2024 season, supported by the introduction of newer grape varieties.
In the South African table grape industry, producers are concentrating on cultivating grape varieties that align with global market trends, enabling them to meet market demands. They remain dedicated to maintaining high quality throughout the farming and shipping process, striving to uphold South Africa’s status as the preferred country of origin for retailers worldwide. The first crop estimate represents a reasonable deduction based on various factors and may be subject to revision.