Dear Readers,
South Africa,
So far so good.!!
As in our last report, the crop is still developing well. The bunches are growing in the normal way and the coming weeks are, weatherlike, promising.
Meanwhile, however we had a short period of less profitable weather
Fresh-grape farmers are busy now with cutting/harvesting and are finally full swing with production, although overall about 10 days later than normal.
If the weatherpattern does not change too much, we expect that farmers will start cutting and drying for raisins at the beginning of january and to bring in their first deliveries mid to end of january.
Let’s keep fingers crossed!!!!
As it stands today packers of raisins cannot do more than preparing/improving their factories and do the necessary maintenance on their machinery. Of course repairing the bins and buying new ones is an other factor which returns every year.
Sofar, most aspects are in controll by farmers and packers.
UNCERTAIN FACTORS: what remains as uncertain factors are mother nature, competition and last but not least the worldwide currencies with the speciality of the future of the Rand.
These factors together is that we cannot give out any quotations other than mentioned in our previous bulletin, neither to the farmers nor to the buyers.
We wish you all a Fine, Healthy and Blessed Christmas-time and will speak again at the end of December/early january.