SA grape farmers feel the heat after damaging high temperatures

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Grape farmers in South Africa are experiencing a smaller yield for export due to extreme weather.

In Limpopo’s Loskop Valley, which kicked off its grape season recently, hail damage has affected crops. While the outlook there is generally positive, intense heat in other key grape-producing regions in the country has been a concern.

This as demand surges in Europe for South Africa’s highly-coveted table grapes.

Damaging heat waves

In the Northern Cape’s Orange River Valley, South Africa’s largest table grape area, temperatures spiked above 40°C for several days in early October.

These unseasonably high temperatures caused flower abscission in some vineyards, reducing fruit set.

“Flower abscission” is when flowers detach from the plant, often due to environmental stress, such as excessive heat. This premature shedding of flowers results in a lower “fruit set,” meaning fewer grapes are produced because fewer flowers remain to develop into fruit. This can affect the overall yield of the vineyard.

While the heat-related impact is estimated to reduce yields by around 10%, the region remains optimistic.

“The first grape estimate of the season had set the area’s crop slightly above last year’s at 24.4 million cartons, but there’s still a long road ahead,” Alwyn Dippenaar of Dippenaar Choice told FreshPlaza.

Huge demand for South African grapes

As European markets eagerly await the arrival of South African grapes, the reduced grape availability worldwide has created strong demand.

Many European buyers are already reaching out to secure the South African fruit, anticipating a high-quality season despite the challenges posed by the early heat.

The first shipments from the Orange River Valley are expected within the next two weeks, with peak picking anticipated by mid-November.