Focus switches from Europe to Far East

Exporters are cautiously optimistic that European volumes will pick up in the second half of 2010, says Greg Rohrs, Safmarine’s national reefer, cluster export and PR executive. This despite the negative impact of the strong rand. “Overall reefer volumes are down, and the Europe trade has taken the biggest knock,” says Rohrs. “But citrus exports have seemingly bucked the currency trend and, thanks to a good season, volumes and liftings for citrus to date are on par with 2008 volumes.” Rohrs says overall year to date reefer export volumes out of South Africa to Europe are down by 17%. “Not only does it appear that consumers in Europe, one of South Africa’s traditional markets, have reduced spending as a result of the global economic crisis, but the situation has been aggravated by the increased strength of the rand,” he says. But it’s not all doom and gloom for South African fruit exports. South African growers of pome fruit (apple and pear) are achieving better returns in the Far East and in Africa. “There certainly has been a change in destination focus – from Europe into the Far East – this year.”