South African stone fruit and table grape exporters have reported that early season volumes are picking up after a slow start. Meanwhile, a dedicated conventional reefer shipping program from the country will commence this week.

Stone fruit harvesting is increasing after some frost damage, growers noted, while packing in the Northern and Orange River table grape regions is also gaining momentum.

The first vessel of a weekly specialist conventional reefer shipping program, lasting over two months, is set to load in Cape Town this week. This reefer program is viewed as an alternative to container shipments and is expected to relieve pressure on Cape Town's Container Terminal.

The first significant shipments of containers through the port of Walvis Bay from Namibia's Aussenkehr region departed this past weekend, while Orange River grape shipments are mostly directed through the port of Cape Town.

Observers anticipate that supplies to the UK and Europe will increase significantly from the second week of December, as the five-month Southern African table grape season is now well underway. Exporters are cautiously optimistic about another strong early market.

The early market for stone fruit has been positive, mainly due to a somewhat slow start. However, frost affected the early season, though prospects for the rest of the season for all stone fruit categories remain positive.

Innovation will assist the grape sector in countering the logistical problems that have plagued the export industry in recent years. While some issues are expected to continue in the port of Cape Town, steps undertaken now will result in improvements over the next few years, to the benefit of growers in the early season who have been severely affected in the past.

The possibility of a short supply of Californian grapes following their summer heatwaves is expected to redirect more Peruvian grapes to North America during the early South African season. This may advantage South African stone fruit growers in Europe and the UK, potentially leading to a strong opening market leading up to Christmas.

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