SATI STATISTICS OF TABLE GRAPES IN SOUTH AFRICA 2026

As global table grape production continues to expand, maintaining market share will require greater emphasis on consumer demand, quality, consistency of supply and the long term competitiveness of South African table grapes.

These higher early-season volumes coincided with severe wind disruptions and operational constraints at the Port of Cape Town , creating significant congestion during the busiest export period. Disruptions resulted in stock build-ups, vessel delays and diversion of fruit to alternative ports. The Port of Cape Town’s share of table grape exports declined from 91% during the previous season to 76% , while exports through Eastern Cape ports increased from 6% to 21% . While this strategy provided essential additional capacity, the diversions came at substantially higher cost to producers. Encouragingly, four of South Africa’s five production regions met or exceeded their crop estimates. Only the Hex River Region fell slightly below expectations following rainfall during the latter part of the harvest. STRATEGIC FOCUS

The 2025/26 season reinforced that South Africa’s long-term competitiveness depends on focusing on the factors that remain within the industry’s control. Cultivar selection, production timing, quality, sustainability, coordinated logistics planning and market development will become increasingly important as global competition intensifies. Closer collaboration across the value chain will be essential to improve planning, strengthen market positioning and ensure South African fruit continues to meet customer requirements. Greater operational efficiency, improved accountability and reliable export infrastructure are essential if South Africa is to retain its reputation as a dependable supplier and remain competitive in global markets. While the industry recognises that rebuilding logistics per formance will take time and sustained investment, continued improvements at the Port of Cape Town remain critical. SATI along with other industry partners such as the Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum and Agbiz, continued to engage constructively with Transnet, government and logistics stakeholders throughout the season while also advancing Phase 3 of the SATI/ Transnova Africa prescriptive logistics model project to support more coordinated planning across the value chain. Looking ahead, SATI will continue to invest in projects that support the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the South African table grape industry, including through research, market development, logistics initiatives and stakeholder collaboration.

GLOBAL DISRUPTION RESHAPING THE EXPORT LANDSCAPE

2021 2022 2023

2024

2025

2025/26

2027

Covid-19 Recovery

Global Container Shortage

Israel Hamas War

Red Sea Conf lict Panama Canal

USA Tariffs

USA Tariffs

USA Tariffs

Shipping Disruptions

Strait of Hormuz

El Niño

Russia Ukraine War

Peru & USA Crop Losses

Cost-of Living Crisis

Oil Prices

Global Inflation & Interest Rates

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SATI STATISTICS 2026