Tru-Cape expects to be able to sell its apples and pears later than normal in Europe this year, while exports have also improved within the African continent. 

In a release, South Africa's largest pome fruit marketer said despite challenges in fruit size and quality, overall the harvest had been busy and successful.

"“Sales into the UK started slower this year as a result of UK supermarkets’ Buy British campaigns but, hopefully, we will be able to continue later than normal, which should even it out," said Tru-Cape's fruit marketing MD Roelf Pienaar.

"The smaller fruit, primarily as a result of high summer temperatures, has found a home and satisfying values despite concerns that it wouldn't."

Pienaar said while there were no immediate alarm bells regarding Britain leaving the European Union, the Brexit was affecting the exchange rate with the rand strengthening against the pound.

"Any gains as a result of a weaker Rand in the first part of the season are short term as our input costs are in dollars," he said.

"We don’t have a view about where the Rand should be pegged but do need currency stability, whatever the level, although with local government elections on the horizon in August this year, it is unlikely the currency will stabilise much and we can all expect some volatility.

"We also know from previous years that there are often factional flareups and protest action in the run up to an election. We hope that short-term political point scoring won’t impact the Western Cape agricultural industry which contributes more than R6 billion to the economy each year."

He said the company took its job of selling fruit "very seriously", with 15,200 people and their families relying on Tru-Cape's ability to secure the best prices for South African apples and pears.

He added as the oil price has broken the US$50 a barrel mark, exports into Africa, especially Nigeria, were starting to recover.

"Golden Delicious remains the top selling apple variety in West Africa and it is more apparent than ever that we should have ample volumes in the market before the start of the Ramadan period," Pienaar said.

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