The Valencia Focus Group (VFG) – which falls under the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) – has dropped its estimated production volumes for 2016 but has noted that the fruit is of “excellent export quality”.
The VFG originally estimated valencia orange production would be around 46.6 million cartons. This has fallen to 41.8 million cartons – a difference of 4.8 million cartons.
“As growers started harvesting their valencia crops, it became apparent that the fruit volume was just not there,” said Justin Chadwick CEO of the CGA.
However, while the crop load is small, the percentage of the crop that is suitable for exports is “excellent”, said CGA information manager, John Edmonds.
Hot and dry weather conditions over the past summer impacted the crop output, according to Edmonds, who added that hail had affected crops in the Hoedspruit, Limpopo region.
He said it was too soon to tell whether next season’s valencia crop output would increase.
