South African pear exports thrive amid global market shifts
SOUTH AFRICA – South African pear exports to India have soared, raising concerns that different cultivars might start competing against each other in this lucrative market.
Jacques du Preez, GM for trade and markets, and Mariette Kotzé, GM for industry support services at Hortgro, shared insights at the Hortgro Technical Symposium in Somerset West.
They revealed that South African pear exports have taken advantage of last year’s diplomatic tensions between the USA and India, leading to a significant increase in market share.
India accounted for 43% of all South African exports to Asian and Far Eastern markets during the 2023 export season, with 7% going to China.
“Packham’s Triumph and Forelle have done exceptionally well in India, but there’s concern that these two cultivars might start cannibalising each other’s market share,” du Preez noted.
Hortgro has worked diligently over the past decade to diversify away from South Africa’s traditional Northern Hemisphere markets, such as Europe and the UK.
They have lobbied the government to open new markets, successfully managing a significant increase in export volumes.
In 2006, South Africa exported 108,452 tons of pears, with 83% going to the UK, EU, and Russia. Only 13% went to Africa, the Middle East, Far East, and Asia.
By 2023, exports grew to 231,231 tons, with 50% going to traditional markets and 46% to emerging markets in Africa, the Middle East, Far East, and Asia.
Exports to the EU and Russia also shifted. In 2006, exports to these regions totaled 64,388 tons. By 2023, this number increased to 96,282 tons, with 34% going to Russia. Exports to the rest of the EU slightly decreased to 62,967 tons.
Pear exports to the UK decreased by 42%, while exports to the Middle East surged from 2,089 tons in 2006 to 40,910 tons in 2023.
Exports to Africa and the Far East increased more than five times, with volumes to the Far East rising from 10,070 tons to 54,063 tons. Exports to Africa grew from 1,504 tons to 8,350 tons, and exports to the USA and Canada more than doubled from 2,850 tons to 6,457 tons.
Positive Outlook for 2024
A USDA report projects a 6% rise in South African pear exports in 2024 compared to the previous year. The agricultural sector faced challenges in 2023 due to energy issues, limited processing capacity, and increased input costs.
However, yields are stabilizing at 25,300 metric tons for apples and 530,000 metric tons for pears in 2023-24. Growers are investing in hail nets, reliable energy sources, and vertical integration to offset costs.
A forecast report by Tridge suggests that pear exports will rise by 16% to 280,000 metric tons, driven by increased production, a weaker Rand, and lower freight costs.
The early harvest of the summer pear variety Celina benefits from lower-than-normal production in the Northern Hemisphere.
South Africa remains the largest producer of pears globally, with an expected output of 1,396,659 tons in 2024, representing a 4.6% increase from 2023.
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South African pear exports thrive amid global market shifts
SOUTH AFRICA – South African pear exports to India have soared, raising concerns that different cultivars might start competing against each other in this lucrative market.
Jacques du Preez, GM for trade and markets, and Mariette Kotzé, GM for industry support services at Hortgro, shared insights at the Hortgro Technical Symposium in Somerset West.
They revealed that South African pear exports have taken advantage of last year’s diplomatic tensions between the USA and India, leading to a significant increase in market share.
India accounted for 43% of all South African exports to Asian and Far Eastern markets during the 2023 export season, with 7% going to China.
“Packham’s Triumph and Forelle have done exceptionally well in India, but there’s concern that these two cultivars might start cannibalising each other’s market share,” du Preez noted.
Hortgro has worked diligently over the past decade to diversify away from South Africa’s traditional Northern Hemisphere markets, such as Europe and the UK.
They have lobbied the government to open new markets, successfully managing a significant increase in export volumes.
In 2006, South Africa exported 108,452 tons of pears, with 83% going to the UK, EU, and Russia. Only 13% went to Africa, the Middle East, Far East, and Asia.
By 2023, exports grew to 231,231 tons, with 50% going to traditional markets and 46% to emerging markets in Africa, the Middle East, Far East, and Asia.
Exports to the EU and Russia also shifted. In 2006, exports to these regions totaled 64,388 tons. By 2023, this number increased to 96,282 tons, with 34% going to Russia. Exports to the rest of the EU slightly decreased to 62,967 tons.
Pear exports to the UK decreased by 42%, while exports to the Middle East surged from 2,089 tons in 2006 to 40,910 tons in 2023.
Exports to Africa and the Far East increased more than five times, with volumes to the Far East rising from 10,070 tons to 54,063 tons. Exports to Africa grew from 1,504 tons to 8,350 tons, and exports to the USA and Canada more than doubled from 2,850 tons to 6,457 tons.
Positive Outlook for 2024
A USDA report projects a 6% rise in South African pear exports in 2024 compared to the previous year. The agricultural sector faced challenges in 2023 due to energy issues, limited processing capacity, and increased input costs.
However, yields are stabilizing at 25,300 metric tons for apples and 530,000 metric tons for pears in 2023-24. Growers are investing in hail nets, reliable energy sources, and vertical integration to offset costs.
A forecast report by Tridge suggests that pear exports will rise by 16% to 280,000 metric tons, driven by increased production, a weaker Rand, and lower freight costs.
The early harvest of the summer pear variety Celina benefits from lower-than-normal production in the Northern Hemisphere.
South Africa remains the largest producer of pears globally, with an expected output of 1,396,659 tons in 2024, representing a 4.6% increase from 2023.
For all the latest fresh produce industry news updates from Africa, the Middle East, and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.