Philadelphia, Pa, September 7, 2010 – The South African summer citrus season is progressing according to plan with 30,583 tons of Clementines, navel oranges and grapefruit shipped to date. All of the fruit comes to the U.S. through the Port of Gloucester, N.J. along the Delaware River in greater Philadelphia. An additional 9,769 tons will arrive in the next six to eight weeks for a total of 40,352 tons shipped for the 2010 season.
“We have been delighted with the demand for our citrus this season,” says Gerrit van der Merwe, chairman of the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum (WCCPF). Van der Merwe has been in the U.S. visiting retailers and importers. “The volume we will achieve this season represents a 20 percent increase over 2009 and we expect all our fruit to be sold by the first week of November.”
Van der Merwe said the WCCPF made a strategic decision at the end of last season to modify its supply chain, leading to more frequent but smaller shipments of fruit. “Instead of in the past a shipment arriving every three or even four weeks, we chartered smaller reefer ships which have been docking in every 10 to 12 days. This has worked very well for us as we have been able to satisfy demand on a continuous basis, ensuring that retailers have a reliable source of supply throughout the season.”
He added that consumers have responded by buying and enjoying the fresh, delicious fruit with its excellent brix (sweetness) to acid (tartness) ratio. “Other providers offer fruit with a high acid taste which is not in favor among U.S. consumers. That sweet flavor combined with the good eating quality of our fruit’s firm juicy texture has become a favorite of US consumers.”
South African citrus exports to the U.S. began in 1999. All citrus bound for the U.S. from South Africa undergoes USDA inspections to ensure compliance with U.S. regulations. “The rigorous inspection in South Africa and here in the U.S. assures the fruit meets and exceeds all regulations for import. It does not undergo any chemical application from a fumigation process that potentially shortens the shelf life of the fruit,” said van der Merwe.
South Africa is the second largest exporter of citrus in the world and produces 60 percent of all citrus grown in the Southern Hemisphere. Fruit bound for U.S. consumers comes mostly from the region near Citrusdal and Clanwilliam about two hours northwest of Cape Town, the Northern Cape near Kimberly and the northwest along the Orange River, near Upington.
Source: WCCPF
