Good South African table grape yield despite ongoing drought

Despite experiencing its worst ever drought, the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) has announced a good table grape crop of just over 62 million cartons (4.5kg/carton), with a drop in production of just 8% from the record 67.5 million cartons harvested in the previous season. The drought has been ongoing for three years in three out of the five production regions, especially in the west of the country.

The Orange River region recorded smaller berries and lower bunch weights, resulting in 7% less than last season. The Northern Provinces Region produced a record crop of 6 million cartons, an increase on last season. The Olifants River region recorded a fall of almost 30% in volumes due to a sustained heatwave. Producers in the Berg River region were also hard hit by the drought, with volumes around 16% lower. The Hex River region’s season was just under 8% lower than last season, which constituted a relatively normal season.

Source: SATI