South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) celebrated its successful 2022/23 China Market Development Campaign launch at Guangzhou’s Jiangnonghui wholesale fruit market.
Representatives of the South African Embassy in China, South Africa’s Western Cape Government, and leading Chinese fresh fruit importer Goodfarmer attended the event.
Table grapes have long been a favourite fruit in China and consumers are eager to sample new varieties in novel shapes and colors that are sweeter and crisper than ever before.
A diversity of supply regions is especially important for table grapes, which are a perishable product that must be delivered to market and consumed within a relatively short time window. As a counter-seasonal fruit producer located in the Southern Hemisphere, South Africa stands ready to serve China’s market demands.
This season, South African table grape exporters have cooperated to deliver a 2022/23 campaign in China that consisted of a focused approach to achieve shorter transit times and a narrower arrival window with cultivars preferred by consumers in China. This focused supply strategy has been bolstered with concurrent promotional activities by table grape importers and retailers in China that include Friday’s wholesale market event, media outreach, and retail events and promotions in multiple Chinese cities.
“We are thrilled to execute our China Campaign this season and continue building relationships with the fruit industry in China,” SATI chief executive AJ Griesel said.
“The lifting of epidemic controls in China means we can once again hold in-person events with traders such as today’s event in Guangzhou. It also means the return of in-store promotions for consumers. We welcome more people having the opportunity to experience the quality table grapes South Africa has to offer. South Africa furthermore looks forward to hosting industry delegates from around the world at the 10th International Trade Grape Symposium taking place from 26 November to 1 December 2023.”
“South Africa has footprints on table grapes in many countries around the world, including the EU, UK, USA and Canada,” said Molatelo Mamadi, agriculture counsellor at the South African Embassy in Beijing, who spoke at the event in Guangzhou.
“All these countries hold South African table grapes in the highest regard for their premium quality and compliance with export standards applicable to those markets. South Africa has been exporting table grapes to China for several years and is running this campaign for the third year in a row, with its table grapes currently enjoying the status for their good quality and sweet taste.”
The 2022/2023 South African table grape season has almost concluded. To date, the industry has exported 288 000 metric tonnes of table grapes. By the end of the season, it is anticipated that South Africa will have exported 290 250 metric tonnes of the fruit worldwide.
South African table grapes are grown on approximately 20 000 hectares of land in five key growing regions spread across the country. The diversity of soils and climates enables South Africa to supply international markets with a wide array of the latest table grape varieties from November to May.
During the last two seasons, the most popular cultivars exported to China were Crimson Seedless, Autumn Crisp, Sweet Globe and Sweet Joy.
Many table grape varieties that are growing in popularity in China are also seeing increasing production in South Africa, which sets the stage for further growth of South African table grapes in the China market during the years to come.
