Dear Readers,
Sad enough: we might call this season: The Lost Season
We have said it before: for all those involved in the raisin-industry: this will be a bad year.
Of course, we should always try to be a bit positive!
Being now in the mid of March and having seen most of the Merbine-qualities which have been brought in regularly since the last few weeks, we can confirm that this quality is really a lot better than the sultanas which were delivered earlier this year.
Nevertheless it shall not help strongly to make this season a top-season. On the contrary.
The total quantity is not there and neither is the quality, if we take the average of the sultanas and the merbine quality.
Although it is a bit early to do so, should we do some guess-work, the total quality shall not reach much over 35.000 tons and again we must state that not all of it, is superior quality to say the least.
Golden Jumbos
Have we seen years in which the demand for golden jumbos was enormous and so were the premiums, this year there is hardly any demand for the big boys.
Reason: if prices go too high the demand will stop and buyers will look for cheaper alternatives.
Maybe it is good to take the oil-crisis as an example. If prices go too high, buyers are looking for alternatives and…. in the end they will find them.
What is the lesson: South African raisins have always been sold at a premium. Keep the quality high and a number of buyers will appreciate that strongly and henceforth they will be prepared to pay the premium.
In other words. QUALITY FIRST.