South African apple and pear harvests forecast to rise as table grapes decline

Higher forecasts for apples and pears

South Africa’s apple harvest is forecast to increase by 7% in the 2026/27 marketing year, while pear production is projected to rise by 2%. The outlook therefore points to growth for both fruits, although the expected percentage increase is larger for apples.

The available summary does not give absolute production figures, so the scale of the projected increases cannot be stated in tonnes or another unit. It also provides no regional breakdown, variety-level data or indication of how individual South African growing areas may contribute to the national totals.

Table grapes move in the opposite direction

A different trend is expected for table grapes. Volumes in 2026/27 are forecast to fall below the record harvest registered in the previous season. The material does not specify either the percentage decline or the projected total volume.

Because the comparison is with a record previous season, the anticipated reduction alone does not show how the new forecast relates to a longer-term production average. The available information also gives no reasons for the expected change. It is therefore not possible to attribute the outlook to weather, cultivation conditions or market factors based on the material provided.

Forecast details remain limited

The brief outlook does not describe its data sources, calculation methods or the date on which the estimates were prepared. It also does not indicate whether further revisions are expected as the season develops. The percentages should consequently be read as forward-looking estimates rather than final harvest results.

The grape projection relates specifically to table grapes. No information is provided about wine grapes, wine production or harvest quality, so conclusions about South Africa’s wine sector cannot be drawn from this forecast.

The original information was published by Bing News – Grape Yield & Harvest.