Arabfields, Sana Dib, Financial Correspondent, Johannesburg, South Africa — South Africa’s table grape industry has completed a record production season, but exporters have seen little growth in shipments as logistical problems and changing international trade conditions continue to weigh on the sector.

The 2025/26 season produced an estimated 385,000 metric tons of table grapes, about 1 percent more than the previous season. Favourable weather, adequate irrigation water and the increasing contribution of high-yielding varieties helped growers reach the highest production level on record.

For farmers, the strong harvest brought both satisfaction and frustration. Producing more fruit is only part of the challenge. Grapes are highly perishable, and getting them from vineyards to overseas consumers quickly can determine whether a successful harvest translates into higher earnings.

Exports reached approximately 352,400 metric tons during the season, remaining broadly unchanged from the previous year despite the larger crop. The gap between production and exports highlights the growing importance of transport infrastructure and market access for South African growers.

The Port of Cape Town was one of the industry’s biggest challenges. A series of adverse weather events restricted port operations and reduced handling capacity during critical periods of the export season. For producers working against tight harvest and shipping windows, delays can quickly turn into financial losses.

Europe remained the dominant destination for South African table grapes. The European Union and the United Kingdom together accounted for about 86 percent of exports in the 2025/26 season, compared with 76 percent a year earlier.

That concentration gives South African exporters a strong established market, but it also exposes the industry to risks if demand, regulations or shipping conditions change in Europe. Growers and exporters are therefore increasingly looking for ways to diversify their customer base.

The United States has become a more difficult market following the introduction of additional tariffs on South African table grapes in April 2025. The impact has been visible in export flows, with shipments to the American market falling sharply.

China has also remained a relatively small destination for South African grapes. Between November 2025 and May 2026, South Africa exported about 687 metric tons of table grapes to China, worth approximately $1.9 million. Both volume and value declined by roughly 70 percent compared with the previous year.

For growers, the international picture makes the choice of varieties increasingly important. Crimson Seedless accounted for about 12 percent of exports during the latest season, followed by Sweet Globe and Sweet Celebration at 11 percent each. Autumn Crisp represented 9 percent, while Prime accounted for 8 percent.

The popularity of these varieties reflects a broader effort by South African producers to align vineyard production with consumer demand. Newer, higher-yielding varieties are also contributing to production growth as more vineyards reach full production.

The record crop suggests that the industry still has considerable productive capacity. The more difficult question is whether export infrastructure and overseas demand can keep pace.

If production continues to increase at the recent rate, pressure on ports, cold-storage facilities and logistics networks could become more pronounced unless investment improves. A relatively small annual increase of around 1 percent may appear manageable, but repeated growth over several seasons could create significant additional volumes that need to reach international buyers.

The outlook for the next seasons is therefore likely to depend less on the ability of farmers to produce grapes and more on the industry’s ability to move and sell them efficiently. Improving port reliability would give exporters a better chance of converting larger harvests into stronger export revenues.

Market diversification could also become increasingly important. Europe is likely to remain South Africa’s principal destination in the near term because of its established trading relationships, but stronger access to Asian and North American markets could reduce the sector’s dependence on European buyers.

For farmers, these developments are not abstract trade statistics. A delayed vessel can mean fruit sitting in cold storage longer than planned, while a tariff can change the price a buyer is willing to pay. The difference between a record harvest and a profitable season is often determined after the grapes have left the vineyard.

The 2025/26 season nevertheless provides reasons for optimism. Production reached a new high despite the challenges facing exporters, demonstrating that South African vineyards remain capable of expanding output when weather and water conditions cooperate.

Looking ahead, the industry is likely to focus increasingly on logistics, market diversification and varieties that deliver strong returns. If port constraints are eased and producers gain more reliable access to international buyers, future increases in production could translate into higher exports rather than simply larger volumes remaining within the domestic market.

For now, the record harvest stands as both an achievement and a warning. South African growers have demonstrated that they can produce more grapes than ever before. The next test will be whether the country’s infrastructure and trading relationships can ensure that those grapes reach consumers in time and at a price that rewards the people who grow them.