South Africa has high hopes for the late-ripening cultivar Star Ruby which could help plug a gap in the market left by Florida's hardpressed grapefruit sector.

Cultivar management company CitroGold's director Peter Turner, believes Florida's problems with citrus greening disease and lower yields offers South Africa an opportunity.

"The capacity for South Africa to have a later maturing grapefruit which meets the shortfall which Floridians can no longer supply is of great strategic advantage," he tells www.freshfruitportal.com

Florida's season is from December until the end of May, while the Star Ruby in South Africa would be available from July until September.

"We are just at the experimental stage but growers are very excited about it. It will only be grown in South Africa and it will give our industry an advantage."

Turner said grapefruit exports were crucial for South Africa as domestic demand was low.

"It is very important to be competitive and fill gaps, and the market likes new things, something which is sexy and has the ability to attract more consumers."

Florida's citrus crops have taken a battering over the last few years with the discovery of citrus disease in 2005, and two consecutive cold winters during 2009-2010 and 2010-11, although this year's winter was unusually mild.

Other cultivars which CitroGold has in the pipeline include the M7 navel and the home grown B17 mandarin, both of which should be ready for export in a few years' time.

CitroGold is also propagating the late maturing Lavelle Valencia and the RubyValencia which will be ready for export next year.

www.freshfruitportal.com