ZA sharon fruit Arisa packhouse Swellendam

The Arisa packhouse, South Africa's largest sharon fruit export facility

Israeli exporter Mor International says it has shipped more sharon fruit from South Africa than ever before during the first month of the new season.

'It is an end-of-April milestone for sharon fruit exports as shipments to date exceed all previous seasons,' commented Shaul Klausner, chief executive of Mor Group.

The first volumes of the 2014 campaign were delivered to South Africa's largest Sharon fruit export facility, the Arisa Packhouse near Swellendam in the Western Cape, at the end of March, some two weeks before last season's first arrival.

'We have so far packed just about 2,000 tons at Arisa, which is a great performance,' Klausner added.

Prospects for South Africa's sharon fruit producers, exporters and marketers have increased dramatically this season after the country was granted access to the US market.

The first volumes destined for the US market departed in April.