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GAME INDUSTRY TRENDS ANALYSIS 2024
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Good Season Ahead For Apples And Pears
Good season ahead for apples and pears
By Glenneis Kriel | 5 February 2025 | 9:00 am
Apple and pear exports are expected to increase this year on the back of new orchards coming into production, improved varieties and favourable weather.
Tru-Cape recently received its first commercial quantities of Cape Blush pears.Photo: Tru-Cape
Apple exports are expected to increase by 5%, from 48,6 million (12,5kg) cartons in 2024 to 51,3 million cartons in 2025, and pear exports by 4%, from 20,3 million (12,5kg) cartons to 21,2 million cartons, according to Hortgro’ s recently released estimate.
Volumes for both apple and pear exports are also higher than the three year-average of 45,8 million cartons and 19,8 million cartons, respectively.
Hortgro ascribes the growth to orchards coming into production, higher-yielding varieties, recovery from the 2023 hail and flood and favourable weather conditions.
Bicoloured apples are expected to drive apple exports volumes, with Royal Gala exports expected to increase by 6%, Cripps Pink by 7% and Bigbucks by 24%. Crips Red volumes are also expected to increase by 9%.
Export volumes for Forelle and Abate Fetel pears are expected to increase by 7%, while Packham’s Triumph exports are expected to increase by 2%. Summer pear volumes, such as Cheeky, Celina, Rosemarie and Sempre are all expected to increase.
Calla du Toit, Tru-Cape’s procurement manager and a pome fruit producer of the Witzenberg Valley, said in a press statement that Tru-Cape recently received its first quantities of Cape Blush, and was excited about the colour and fruit of this early variety offered.
“Our trials indicate a better storage ability than Rosemarie, which tends to turn yellow. We also now have the chance to supply markets further away from us with early blushed pears, and
those that demand bigger fruit, such as Canada and Vietnam. It would also enable us to supply China, which finds the red blush attractive, with blushed pears throughout the year,” Du Toit said.
In terms of the season, Du Toit said that the pome production areas in the Western Cape experienced a late but chilly winter with excellent rain, and favourable conditions during flowering.
“Except for the recent warm days, our summer has been relatively cool to date. Late Robert Zulch from the Witzenberg Valley used to say a cool summer is an indication of a good apple season, and we are seeing this in fruit sizes.
“When temperatures are scorching, the tree starts to stress, causing smaller fruit. In cooler conditions, you see growth of three to four millimetres each week, and the trees are happy. We are cautiously optimistic about a good, average season with exceptional quality all around.”
The season is about a week later than usual, but Du Toit said that he expected later varieties to catch up.
Meanwhile, Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, said Tru-Cape was hopeful that logistics would be less of a challenge this year compared with the past two years.
“The fruit export season started later, giving port authorities more time to prepare and alleviate pressure during peak periods, while there has also been fewer wind related disruptions in December. Equipment has been more readily available and operational processes have improved, but there still is room for more improvement.”
Nicholas Dicey, chairperson of Hortgro and director of Hortgro Pome, told Farmer’s Weekly that the rand was slightly stronger against major export currencies, compared to a year ago, which could negatively impact earnings on export markets.
Demand, nevertheless, was stable, he said, with markets being receptive for South African pome fruit.
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