RAY SMUTS IT SIMPLY has to be one of the worst shocks for Breede River Valley deciduous fruit producers - a blistering hail storm that caused damage worth millions of rand a mere week before the onset of the harvest. Such is the distressing news that some importers in Europe and the Middle East have been notified not to expect any plums, peaches, grapes and nectarines. One farmer suffered losses estimated at R2 million while another, who lost his entire crop, says he will be selling off a portion of his farm for housing development. The storm - hail stones apparently the size of marbles - was of short duration, hitting the Montagu and Bonnievale districts with 26mm of rain in a mere 15 minutes but the effect was akin to sandblasting as orchards were stripped virtually bare. At least 21 farms in the region have been badly damaged. One producer says fruit not damaged on the exterior is also unusable in that it is bruised from within and therefore has to be consumed within a short time span. Another says hikes in production costs are a reality while the price of fruit has been declining for the past three years. This due to global competition from many producers who, unlike South African growers, are fortunate enough to enjoy subsidies. One option left to the affected growers is to explore how much juice can be produced from some of the damaged fruit.
