The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) says farmers are expecting a positive yield despite a gruelling two seasons brought by the drought.
SATI says a yield of 70 million cartons is expected this season after a reduction of nearly 10% last year.
Two years ago, the drought nearly brought table grape farmers in the Olifants River region to their knees. For many, it was the worst in many decades and losses of over a R100 million were recorded.
Last year, production was down by 30 % of the five table grape regions in the country, the three in the Western Cape, and Olifants River in particular, suffered most.
It will take years for many producers to recover, but crop estimates for the whole industry look very promising. If conditions continue to be favourable, this season could be record breaking.
SATI CEO Willem Bestbier says, “Dam levels are just close to double what it was last year but now it depends on how the plant, the vine responds a year after a severe drought, remember we’ve had three of drought. So that’s the signs we don’t fully understand yet but we are hopeful, the vineyard or the vine is a robust plant and the available signs are that it will recover fairly quickly.”
While the rains are the most important factor, there was also an increase in the number of new vineyards planted.
Over 5 000 new hectares will be coming into full production this season. The entire value chain could benefit from the improved situation.
Bestbier says, “Growers tried to preserve the job opportunities as best as they could, and they’ve achieved pretty good in doing that but remember we’re also talking about expansion of hectares and with every hectare in our industry does provide new jobs so we’re projecting growth in the long run in that area again.”
