SOUTH AFRICA'S TABLE GRAPE VARIETIES HAVE UNIQUE ADVANTAGES, AND EXPORT VOLUME TO CHINA IS EXPECTED TO GROW FURTHER

South Africa is the world's seventh largest exporter of table grapes and the second largest exporter of grapes in the Southern Hemisphere. South Africa’s table grape harvest is currently in full swing, with production expected to reach 63.2 million to 70.1 million cartons this season, an increase of 1.8% to 13% from the same period last year, according to the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI). The excellent taste and stable quality have made South African table grapes popular with consumers around the world, and China has been a very important market for South African grapes since South Africa signed an export agreement with China in 2016. 

The South African table grape is produced from the end of October to the end of March and its supply can last until May, according to Willem Bestbier, chief executive officer of SATI. In recent years, in addition to expanding the acreage of grapes, South Africa has also optimized the grape varieties, resulting in a significant increase in yield per hectare of land. As the world's seventh largest exporter of table grapes and the second largest exporter of grapes in the Southern Hemisphere, South African accounts for 21 % of total export volume of grapes in the Southern Hemisphere, with a total of 59.13 million cartons in the 2017/ 18 season. It is learned that export volume of South African table grape to China (including Hong Kong) reached 3 million cases last season. Mr. Willem Bestbier said he hoped to see export volume of South African grapes to China to be grow by 20% a year in the future.