“The Western Cape experienced a late, yet severe winter, which typically signals a promising season ahead. Generally, the colder the winter, the better the production, Calla du Toit, head of procurement at Tru-Cape Marketing, said in a press statement.
He said there were concerns over the accumulation of chill units at the start of the season, but these were caught up by the end of winter. Most production regions, such as Ceres, Elgin, Grabouw, Vyeboom, Villiersdorp and Langkloof also received good rains.
“Trees in general are thriving, flowering occurred under favourable conditions and fruit development looks good. We, nevertheless, anticipate another slightly delayed season, which will shorten the marketing window,” he said.
Du Toit also anticipated that Tru-Cape will receive its first commercial yield of Cape Blush pears, trademark for the Rosy-Lwazi variety, in the coming season. The variety is one of several new varieties that emerged from the exceptional red gene pool developed by retired Agricultural Research Council breeder, Taaibos Human.
Rosy-Lwazi was first identified as a promising blush variety 16 years ago, with the first pears being harvested in 2021 at Eselfontein farm, near Ceres, which supplies Tru-Cape with fruit.
Jeanne Fourie, a new variety specialist at Tru-Cape, said that the variety was harvested just before or shortly after New Year, making it one of the earliest pear varieties in South Africa.
“We’re opening the season with this coveted variety, known for its lovely red blush, so have high hopes for its market performance, particularly in the Far East and Middle East where there is a growing demand for red pear varieties.”
Several young Rosemarie Select pear orchards are also coming into production. This variety is an enhancement of the original Rosemarie, which is another South African pear variety developed through the crossing of Forelle and Bon Rouge.
“Growers are familiar with Rosemarie, but the introduction of Rosemarie Select, with its improved colour, presents them with an opportunity to boost pack-outs,” she said.
Along with this, Tru-Cape was preparing for its largest Cheeky crop to date.
Fourie said that these local selections were better adapted to South Africa’s climate, developed colour more effectively and needed fewer chilling hours than some imported varieties.
Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, said that the interest in blushed pear varieties was on the rise internationally. The pear harvest in Europe was slightly below average too, creating favourable prospects for South Africa growers in the upcoming season.
A normal-sized crop, nevertheless, is expected in the United Kingdom, which is raising concerns. Pienaar explained that there was a significant movement to support British producers, which could negatively impact South African pear exports to this destination.
