HEAVY RAINS late
last year delayed the
export of a variety of
perishables, with February
the new season peak for
stone fruit and grape
shipments in 2008.
A number of key
producers were hit by
intense downpours that
swept across much
of the Western Cape
through September and
October last year. This
raised the sugar and
water content of stone
fruit and a variety of
grapes, lowering their
quality and rendering
them unexportable.
“This has brought a
shift in the peak season,”
said Cayley Wallis of
British Airways World
Cargo. “Traditionally, we
hit peak in December,
and this tapers off in
January.” This year has
been good for a number
of airlines with the
summer fruit season
moved out two months,
filling a traditionally
slow period for many
airlines while the
manufacturers come
back online after the
festive break.”
Skyservices’ Cape
Town export manager
Yusrie Jacobs painted
a similar picture. “The
grape season usually
ends before Christmas.
We’re still doing grapes
and if it hadn’t rained
last week, we would
have even more."
Weather anomalies work in airlines' favour
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