SA growers assess extreme weather effects on grapes, citrus
According to a South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) statement, the country's table grape crop is set to fall by around 3% due to recent rain in the Hex River Valley. The statement said further that at least five producers in the valley were significantly affected by severe thunderstorms on 18 January and more rain on 19 January 2012, with high winds causing some vineyard trellis systems to collapse, the Fresh Fruit Portal reports.
"Hail damage ranging [between 5 and 60%] was recorded in other blocks, and while it is too early for exact calculations, it is expected that around 500,000 [cartons of 4.5kg each] were lost because of the storm," the release said. Accordingly, the industry's crop forecast has been reduced from 17.8-18.2 million cartons down to 17.3-17.7 million cartons for 2011-12.
Meanwhile, the Fresh Fruit Portal says, the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa (CGA) does not expect crops to be seriously impacted by the extreme weather. In Hoedspruit, where Cyclone Dando dumped the equivalent of the regions annual rainfall - 380 mm - in a day (the annual rainfall is 420mm), "The sun is shining today," said CGA CEO Justin Chadwick. "Although this would have disrupted farming operations and damaged infrastructure, and impacted on some services, it is not expected to be a major influence on the regions' 2012 citrus crop," he added.
Read the full article on www.freshfruitportal.com.
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