Citrus exporters must play to the market's tune

'If Japan wants an oblong lemon, don't send a round one!' Ray Smuts SOUTH AFRICA should plan to meet precise global demand in the years ahead if it is to maintain its position as Southern Africa's main citrus supplier to premium markets. And this could mean exporting less when one has more says Gerrit Booyens, CEO of Citrus SA. "The important point is to look ahead at what the market tells us it requires and avert crises with excess volumes in areas it cannot absorb," says Booyens. "If Japan wants an oblong lemon you don't send them a round one and if the US wants an orange orange you don't send them a yellow one. "If markets do not want a specific size we hope to get the message across (in the coming year) that we should not pack what we produce but rather pack what the market requires." Booyens acknowledged to FTW last week that deliberately exporting less went against the grain. "But it is quite clear from our experience that by sending less you enhance the total value of your crop and it is much easier to dump product this side of the pond than the other, not that one is suggesting dumping." South Africa's citrus season runs from Week 4 through to Week 40 and Booyens expects the total citrus crop to be very similar to last year, some 58 million cartons - around 65% of it to UK and EU countries - for a value of about R2,3 billion. (The value at farm gate, what the grower receives, is between 23% and 26% of that amount).