Industry body Sati has released its preliminary crop estimate for the 2026/27 South African table grape season, projecting 78.4mn cartons for export
The South African table grape industry is preparing for an earlier start to the export season, with the first crop estimate for 2026/2027 indicating a stable crop of sufficient volume to meet market demand.
The preliminary national crop estimate for 2026/27 of 78.4mn cartons inspected for export has a lower range of 76.8mn cartons and an upper range of about 79.9mn cartons.
This is lower than the export figure of 81.3mn cartons achieved last year.
Industry body Sati said its first estimate remains broadly aligned with the five-year average, supporting South Africa’s ability to provide consistent volumes to international markets.
Estimated volumes across the five production regions are also consistent with regional five-year averages.
“Favourable water availability, supported by sufficient dam levels, provides a positive foundation for the season ahead,” said Sati chair Alwyn Dippenaar.
”At the same time, warmer weather conditions have contributed to earlier crop development, and current indications are that the season could be about 10 to 14 days earlier than previous seasons.”
Following recent rainfall, dam levels in the main table grape-growing regions were, on average, approximately 82 per cent full by late September, compared with 85 per cent at the same time last year.
Overall, the estimate reflects continued stabilisation in total table grape hectares planted across the country, which decreased by less than 0.5 per cent to 19,434ha in 2026.
“The preliminary estimate indicates that South Africa is well positioned to deliver a quality crop in sufficient volumes to meet the requirements of our international markets,” said Mecia Petersen, chief executive of Sati.
“Sati will continue working closely with growers, exporters, logistics providers, ports and other stakeholders across the value chain to facilitate the efficient movement of fruit throughout the season and ensure that the 2026/27 crop reaches markets consistently during the export window.
The industry body added that the first crop estimate represents a reasonable deduction based on multiple factors, including prevailing weather conditions and production trends.
