South Africa’s avocado tiff with Tanzania is finally over. South Africa has granted market access to avocado produced in Tanzania, ending a decade-long standoff over the matter.
In a letter dated 16 November 2021, the acting director of plant health at the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development, Jan Hendrik Venter, said the decision has been reached after a successful virtual bilateral engagement.
“On 9 November 2021, the National Plant Protection Organisation of Tanzania (NPPO) provided a pre-recorded video presentation to the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOSA) to verify and pre-test pest risk management practices in order to allow authorisation of avocados from Tanzania to South Africa.”
Tanzanian growers produce their avocado during the South African off-season, when prices in the local market are extremely high. During this period the local trade normally imports fruit to supplement the local supply.
Meanwhile, according to The Citizen, the chairman of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA) Clive Garrett, said the protocol for the importation of Tanzanian avocados into South Africa had not yet been finalised.
“It is absolutely important that we protect our local industry and we have consistently supported the development and implementation of these protocols between South Africa and Tanzania,” Garrett said.
ALSO READ: What’s behind SA’s avocado tiff with Tanzania?
Tough lemon season for exporters
Given the range of logistics and market challenges growers and exporters have had to face, it has been a very tough lemon season.
According to Portia Magwaza, research economist at the Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA), while export volumes are up, this does not necessarily translate into better returns back to farms.
“The costs have increased significantly, the exchange rate moved against exporters, and lemon prices were well below 2020 values,” she said.
Lemon packing volumes for exports were 31 million cartons in 2021, finishing 3% up on the March 2021 estimate of 30.2 million cartons.
The biggest region is Sundays River Valley with 13.5 million cartons (at 3% below the estimate), followed by Senwes at 3.8 million cartons (8% above the estimate), while Boland, at 2.6 million, was 19% over the estimate.
According to CGA, this growth can be attributed to recent planting now coming into production.
ALSO READ: Citrus industry shows great resolve in season of chaos
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