Amid continued regulatory challenges from the European Union over threats related to false codling moth and citrus black spot, the season’s review by the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) has reported higher numbers year-on-year (y-o-y).
In his latest “From the desk of the CEO” newsletter, CGA chief executive Justin Chadwick says that “the EU received more grapefruit in 2023 than in 2022 – with 5.8 million cartons surpassing 2022’s 4.9 million cartons.”
The current shipped figures for grapefruit means levels have returned to what they were in 2021.
Chadwick says that so far this year, 47% of southern African grapefruit exports have been sent to the EU.
“The other destination with a very slight increase over 2022 was China at 1.7m cartons or 14% of the total grapefruit shipped.
“Russia received 10% of grapefruit shipped, increasing from 1.1m cartons to 1.2m cartons.”
The latter is equal to shipped figures from 2021.
“However, Asian shipped volumes dropped from 1.8m to 1.3m cartons y-o-y (10% of total).
“Russia also received 10% of grapefruit shipped.
“Both the USA and the UK received 4% of grapefruit shipped – the USA increasing from 370 000 to 553 000 cartons while the UK held steady at 551 000 cartons.”
Chadwick pointed out that what was evident was the drop in demand from both Japan (in Asian figures) and the UK.
“The UK used to consistently import at the 800 000-carton level, and Japan above the 3m carton mark.”
