South African citrus season begins
South African citrus season begins
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ -- The season's first break-bulk refrigerated ship carrying South African citrus lifted pallets onto the dock of Gloucester Terminal LLC, here, June 19.
The ship carried fruit for seven importers, according to Tom Mastromarco, director of fruit marketing and customer service at the Gloucester Terminal. Among the brands represented in the terminal's warehouse were "Unifrutti," "Darling Clementine" and "Seald Sweet."
Importer Marc Solomon, president of Fisher Capespan USA LLC, which is housed a few blocks down the Delaware River from Gloucester Terminal, returned June 14 after spending two weeks in South Africa. On June 19, he told The Produce News that he had been in the clementine production area of the western Cape for four or five days. In this rainy season, it rained "much heavier than normal" for the entire time he was in the western Cape.
This rain caused growers to shift fruit that might have gone to the United States to closer markets. "No one wants to ship 'risk' fruit" [as] far as the U.S.," Mr. Solomon said. The United States is a "more discerning market" than others available to South African citrus shippers. The rain may cause problems for growers, but this won't be a problem for the U.S. industry, he reiterated. "All the fruit shipped into the U.S. will be fine."
In another development in South Africa, Mr. Solomon said that growers are working with their national phytosanitary experts and U.S. Department of Agriculture representatives to ensure that a false codling moth problem does not spread to the United States via a new-found presence in South African groves.
"It is being managed on the farms," Mr. Solomon said. "South Africa is tightening the protocol on their side to assure 100 percent compliance" regarding false codling moth control to USDA standards.
Because of the rain and the diversion of South African Navel oranges to closer markets, Mr. Solomon expects about a 10 percent Navel decrease from originally anticipated volumes to North America.
Clementines will be more affected by the rain and will probably have a 20-30 percent decline in volume to these shores, Mr. Solomon said.
The quality and color of the South African fruit should be good, he added. Extreme cold in South African groves had a positive result of heightened fruit color. "The growers need cold and they were happy to have the rain," he said. While Mr. Solomon said that he is disappointed by decreased volumes, "we're pleased with the quality and color, and the Brix is high. We anticipate a good market. The market is empty, and there is a lot of demand from retailers."
California clementines ended earlier than normal because of residual problems from the wintertime freeze there.
Fisher Capespan also markets Chilean clementines. Australia is exporting clementines to add to the supply of the fruit available during the summer in North America.
Between the two countries, "retailers should have no problems filling their needs," Mr. Solomon said.
Chilean clementines began arriving in the United States via refrigerated container in early June, and that deal is running smoothly.
Peruvian citrus gained USDA approval to ship to the U.S. market after last season, and in May Fisher Capespan began receiving the first Peruvian Satsuma's ever shipped to the United States. The Peruvian deal wound down as South Africa began.
Mr. Solomon expected that South African citrus from the season's first break- bulk ship - the White Sun - would clear inspections and be shipped about June 22. Mr. Solomon said that about 3,000 pallets were on the White Sun, and about 30 percent of the ship's cargo will be marketed by Fisher Capespan.
The second break-bulk ship would arrive from South Africa about July 10 and the third 10 days after that, Mr. Solomon added. These ships are expected to deliver about 3,000 pallets of South African citrus. It is a three-week trip from South Africa, so each of the first three ships left the country with fruit picked and packed before the heavy rains.
Fisher Capespan is receiving five-pound cartons of clementines and bulk cartons that will be repacked in New Jersey into two- or three-pound mesh bags. Navels are arriving in standard 33-pound cartons. Some of those will be repacked to customer needs.
Mr. Mastromarco said that the Gloucester Terminal has received South African citrus for several years. This year, he will receive 12-14 break-bulk shiploads carrying South African citrus, and the last of these calls will be mid-October -- a couple weeks before the terminal receives its first Spanish clementines.
As happened early this June, South Africa has always shipped small volumes of early citrus in refrigerated containers. This year for the first time, on June 8, one of these containerships landed at Philadelphia's Packer Avenue Terminal. The week prior to that, some South African citrus was on a container ship calling on Port Elizabeth, NJ.
Mr. Mastromarco said that the containers destined for importers with offices at the Gloucester Terminal office were shipped to Gloucester for handling and distribution. He is hopeful that container volumes will continue to be adequate to justify ongoing calls to Packer Avenue, which is almost directly across the Delaware River from Gloucester.
Gloucester Terminal was previously known -- and continues to be commonly referred to -- as Holt Terminal. It continues to be owned and operated by the Holt family.
The ship carried fruit for seven importers, according to Tom Mastromarco, director of fruit marketing and customer service at the Gloucester Terminal. Among the brands represented in the terminal's warehouse were "Unifrutti," "Darling Clementine" and "Seald Sweet."
Importer Marc Solomon, president of Fisher Capespan USA LLC, which is housed a few blocks down the Delaware River from Gloucester Terminal, returned June 14 after spending two weeks in South Africa. On June 19, he told The Produce News that he had been in the clementine production area of the western Cape for four or five days. In this rainy season, it rained "much heavier than normal" for the entire time he was in the western Cape.
This rain caused growers to shift fruit that might have gone to the United States to closer markets. "No one wants to ship 'risk' fruit" [as] far as the U.S.," Mr. Solomon said. The United States is a "more discerning market" than others available to South African citrus shippers. The rain may cause problems for growers, but this won't be a problem for the U.S. industry, he reiterated. "All the fruit shipped into the U.S. will be fine."
In another development in South Africa, Mr. Solomon said that growers are working with their national phytosanitary experts and U.S. Department of Agriculture representatives to ensure that a false codling moth problem does not spread to the United States via a new-found presence in South African groves.
"It is being managed on the farms," Mr. Solomon said. "South Africa is tightening the protocol on their side to assure 100 percent compliance" regarding false codling moth control to USDA standards.
Because of the rain and the diversion of South African Navel oranges to closer markets, Mr. Solomon expects about a 10 percent Navel decrease from originally anticipated volumes to North America.
Clementines will be more affected by the rain and will probably have a 20-30 percent decline in volume to these shores, Mr. Solomon said.
The quality and color of the South African fruit should be good, he added. Extreme cold in South African groves had a positive result of heightened fruit color. "The growers need cold and they were happy to have the rain," he said. While Mr. Solomon said that he is disappointed by decreased volumes, "we're pleased with the quality and color, and the Brix is high. We anticipate a good market. The market is empty, and there is a lot of demand from retailers."
California clementines ended earlier than normal because of residual problems from the wintertime freeze there.
Fisher Capespan also markets Chilean clementines. Australia is exporting clementines to add to the supply of the fruit available during the summer in North America.
Between the two countries, "retailers should have no problems filling their needs," Mr. Solomon said.
Chilean clementines began arriving in the United States via refrigerated container in early June, and that deal is running smoothly.
Peruvian citrus gained USDA approval to ship to the U.S. market after last season, and in May Fisher Capespan began receiving the first Peruvian Satsuma's ever shipped to the United States. The Peruvian deal wound down as South Africa began.
Mr. Solomon expected that South African citrus from the season's first break- bulk ship - the White Sun - would clear inspections and be shipped about June 22. Mr. Solomon said that about 3,000 pallets were on the White Sun, and about 30 percent of the ship's cargo will be marketed by Fisher Capespan.
The second break-bulk ship would arrive from South Africa about July 10 and the third 10 days after that, Mr. Solomon added. These ships are expected to deliver about 3,000 pallets of South African citrus. It is a three-week trip from South Africa, so each of the first three ships left the country with fruit picked and packed before the heavy rains.
Fisher Capespan is receiving five-pound cartons of clementines and bulk cartons that will be repacked in New Jersey into two- or three-pound mesh bags. Navels are arriving in standard 33-pound cartons. Some of those will be repacked to customer needs.
Mr. Mastromarco said that the Gloucester Terminal has received South African citrus for several years. This year, he will receive 12-14 break-bulk shiploads carrying South African citrus, and the last of these calls will be mid-October -- a couple weeks before the terminal receives its first Spanish clementines.
As happened early this June, South Africa has always shipped small volumes of early citrus in refrigerated containers. This year for the first time, on June 8, one of these containerships landed at Philadelphia's Packer Avenue Terminal. The week prior to that, some South African citrus was on a container ship calling on Port Elizabeth, NJ.
Mr. Mastromarco said that the containers destined for importers with offices at the Gloucester Terminal office were shipped to Gloucester for handling and distribution. He is hopeful that container volumes will continue to be adequate to justify ongoing calls to Packer Avenue, which is almost directly across the Delaware River from Gloucester.
Gloucester Terminal was previously known -- and continues to be commonly referred to -- as Holt Terminal. It continues to be owned and operated by the Holt family.
