South African stonefruit exports set for 6 per cent growth with nectarines leading surge

South African stonefruit producers are forecasting strong growth in nectarines this season, while there will be modest increases for plums and peaches.

Apricots is the only category that will show a slight decline, according to Hortgro

Apricot exports, at 720,000 cartons, is expected to be 3 per cent down compared to last season, but peaches, at 1.94mn cartons compared to 1.88mn last season, will grow by 3 per cent.

The star performer is expected to be nectarines, where an increase of 18 per cent will help the category reach 12.26mn cartons due to favourable conditions for early varieties and higher-yielding orchards. 

Plums are set to show modest growth of 3 per cent, reaching 15.35mn cartons, compared to 14.9mn last season.

The South African stonefruit industry is preparing for the 2025/26 export season with optimism, Hortgro confirmed, due to favourable weather conditions during winter and a good blossom, which led to strong fruit set and quality across most production regions.

“Overall export volumes are forecast to rise by 6 per cent compared to the previous season, indicating a healthy and balanced supply across all stone fruit categories.” the organisation noted.

During the past five years, orchard trends have shown a positive shift towards nectarines, with a 26 per cent increase in total nectarine hectares, Hortgro outlined.

By contrast, the number of hectares of fresh apricots declined by 4 per cent, dessert peaches by 18 per cent, and plums by 6 per cent over the same period.

“The continued investment in higher-yielding nectarine varieties is expected to support export growth in the years to come,” it said.

Hortgro noted that while positive progress has been made in improving logistical performance, particularly at the Port of Cape Town, challenges remain and there is still room for productivity improvement.

“The introduction of new equipment and infrastructure upgrades is expected to enhance port efficiency in the upcoming season,” the organisation stated.

”Careful coordination among growers, exporters, and service providers will once again be essential to ensure efficient, on-time shipments and the delivery of top-quality fruit.

“Improving port operational efficiency remains a key priority to increase overall throughput,” it commented.

With apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums and fresh prunes recently gaining access to China, growers and exporters are eager to serve this market.

“This will further diversify the stone fruit industry’s markets,” Hortgro added.