The 2023/24 apricot and peach harvests are expected to be below average, and the pear harvest slightly down, according to the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association (CFPA).
According to feedback from regions, producers’ dams are full following “the wettest winter in years,” bringing welcome relief, especially to farmers in the Klein Karoo.
Frost damage, however, occurred regionally, particularly affecting producers in Calitzdorp, Ladysmith and the Koo, while strong, cold winds with rain during flowering resulted in damage to fruit in the Keisie in the Breede River Valley, Wolseley and Tulbagh regions.
Jacques Jordaan, CEO of the CFPA, said that the impact of the weather varied from region to region.
At the time of writing, for instance, the ground was still wet in some lowlying areas, resulting in peach trees dying because…