Philadelphia, Pa, June 23, 2010 — The first of the reefer vessels carrying South African summer citrus (www.summercitrus.com ) for the 2010 season docked in Philadelphia this week. Included in the shipment of navels and Clementines was the first consignment of South African grapefruit ever to enter the U.S.
South African citrus exports to the U.S. began in 1999. Earlier this year, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) division of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), gave approval for an additional citrus producing region to export citrus to the U.S. The region is in the northwest of South Africa near the town of Upington. In addition to grapefruit, the area also produces Valencia types that will be available much earlier to the U.S. market than in the past.
“The Star Ruby grapefruit grown along the Orange River offers a new eating experience which will change the way American consumers perceive the product,” says Kennith Dial, one of the USDA inspectors who did pre-shipment inspections of the fruit prior to loading in Cape Town. All citrus bound for the U.S. from South Africa undergoes USDA inspections to ensure that they comply with the U.S. regulations.
“American consumers are used to round, yellow grapefruit and the reddish colored, oval shaped South African Star Ruby will be new to them. The South African fruit, with their red flesh, is also very sweet and this will fit in well with the palate of U.S. consumers,” says Mr. Dial.
The Star Ruby grapefruit is grown along the Orange River, South Africa’s largest. The region is hot and very dry, a climate conducive to sweet and juicy products. Orange groves and other irrigated land producing crops stretch for more than 170 miles along the river.
“Crops from the Orange River region are available much earlier due to the difference in climate which enhances our basket of products,” says Ms. Joretha Geldenhuys, CEO of Western Cape Citrus Producers’ Forum (WCCPF), the South African grower group that is the leading supplier of southern hemisphere citrus to the U.S. “For example, the first Midknight Valencias from the Orange River will be available from the beginning of August and might be even earlier in future years.”
Geldenhuys added that the quality of early fruit from all export regions is excellent and bodes well for the 2010 season. “This is especially important to us as we enter the West Coast market for the first time. We view this expansion as an exciting growth opportunity for our citrus products.” South African summer citrus will be shipped via refrigerated rail to the west coast and will be available west of the Mississippi for the first time this season.
South Africa is the second largest exporter of citrus in the world and produces 60 percent of all citrus grown in the Southern Hemisphere. Other than the United States, export markets include the European Union, Far East, Middle East, Russia, and the rest of Africa. The South African fruit bound for U.S. consumers comes mostly from the region near Citrusdal about two hours northwest of Cape Town, the Northern Cape near Kimberly and the north-west along the Orange River, near Upington.
The WCCPF is a consortium of 350 South African growers eligible to export summer citrus to the U.S Its purpose is to facilitate logistical, marketing and sales support coordination of their products. Its mission is to maintain and expand its role as the preferred supplier in the U.S. and throughout the world, be a reliable supplier of safe summer citrus for global markets, and grow and ship the best summer citrus in the world to the U.S. marketplace.
Source: WCCPF
