GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ — The season's first break bulk ship bearing South Africa citrus discharged June 23 at the Gloucester Marine Terminal, located here on the Delaware River. 

Fruit sampled by The Produce News was sweet and in good condition. According to Tom Mastromarco at Holt Logistics Corp., there were 3,400 pallets of South African citrus aboard "Green Italia." The ship belongs to Seatrade, which has a two-year exclusive agreement to run this South African reefer program to Gloucester.

Thomas Holt III, who works in business development for Holt Logistics Corp., which owns and operates the Gloucester Marine Terminal, said the South Africans will ship a total of about 30,000 or 40,000 pallets of citrus to the United States this season.Stevedores at the Gloucester Marine Terminal in Gloucester City, NJ, lift pallets of South African citrus from the hold of the refrigerated cargo ship "Green Italia," which belongs to Seatrade.

Holt said most of that volume will come through his facility this year but in the shoulder seasons — as the South Africans built, then eventually reduce volumes — the citrus will be shipped in refrigerated sea containers.

South Africa's very first seasonal citrus arrival was in sea containers arriving in the Port of Newark, NJ, on June 10, marking the start of the 15th season for South African summer citrus in the U.S., according to Suhanra Conradie, chief executive officer of the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum. The season's first container vessel, "MSC Valvik," carried 90 tons of clementines and Navel oranges for the U.S. market.

In a press release, Conradie indicated that container vessels transport approximately 15 percent of the overall volume during the season.  The Holt operation will receive the remaining 85 percent.

Conradie's office said fresh South African will arrive from South Africa every 10 days through October.

Consumer access to the South Africa citrus will be more rapid in 2014 than in recent years due to a pilot program, which reduces the cold sterilization from 24 to 22 days.

South Africa citrus production for this season is at high levels and will enable greater volumes for the U.S. market. Normal weather conditions to date have enabled harvesting to proceed without interruption. "Weather and climate conditions cannot be underestimated when it comes to the taste and appearance of our fruit," said Conradie. "South Africa's summer heat contributes to the sweet taste followed by colder temperatures which enable the fruit's color to brighten orange.

Strong relationships with importers and retailers in the U.S. and close collaboration before and throughout the season assure the preferred sizes and volumes are shipped at the correct market time. "Smaller fruit yields well for the growing popularity of bagged fruit in the U.S. market," said Conradie. "In all cases, fruit to the U.S. exceeds the internal quality requirements and is packed to assure it exceeds the strictest of fruit safety regulations."

This program began in 1999 with 50 tons and has grown to roughly 41,000 tons per year. South African citrus exported to the U.S. is grown primarily in the Western and Northern Cape regions.