Lemons and some early Navel oranges, grapefruit and easy-peelers have been shipped to the Middle East market from South Africa so far this season.
The volume of lemons shipped to the Middle East so far this season is up on last year according to one exporter, the export also got under way earlier and in an effort to procure fruit, exporters have driven the price very high.
"These high prices are not sustainable and the exporters will not be able to pay the growers what they have promised at the end," according to the exporter. "But the fruit is moving quickly in the markets. So, to sum it up, so far so good."
Although there has been rain in a number of the growing areas where they were worrying about the hot dry conditions which has helped the fruit size, there will still be large amounts of small fruit on the market but Europe is looking for more small fruit this year so it will balance out.
Lemons are currently selling at US$ 18.00 FOB for a 15kg carton class 1, Navels are US$10.50 and Clementines US$10.50 per 10kg carton
The trader said there will be plenty of 50/55 size grapefruit for the Middle East so it will not be short in supply, however, other markets may well be short.
It is not clear what the actual sizing is like yet. Other markets being targeted for good prices are the EU, Japan and Far East.
