Dip in South Africa’s production of deciduous fruit in 2022/23

South Africa saw a slight fall in its volumes of apples, pears and grapes in 2022/23, due mainly to stagnated production area and a return to normal yields following record production for all three crops. A USDA report highlights that apple and pear producing regions experienced hailstorms in November 2022 which damaged the crop, while the heatwave in January 2023 in the Northern Cape led to table grape losses. South Africa is self-sufficient in production of deciduous fruits and only imports small quantities to fulfil niche markets or to satisfy demand during the off-season when supply is limited. Lower exportable supply and challenges in port access are forecasted to reduce exports of apples, pears and table grapes in MY 2022/23.