According to the first crop estimate by the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI), inspected export volumes are expected to increase by 0,6%, from 78,9 million (4,5kg equivalent) cartons to 79,4 million cartons. The lower and upper limits for the harvest are 77 million and 81,7 million cartons, respectively. This is 6,6% above the five-year average of 74,5 million cartons.
Export volumes from the Olifants River are forecast to decline from 4,4 million to 3,7 million cartons, below the five-year average of 3,9 million cartons, due to a 5% reduction in the area under production. In the northern provinces, volumes are expected to increase from 4,8 million to 5,1 million cartons, although still below the five-year average of 6,2 million cartons, with a 14% decline in planted area cited as…