From a production perspective, our group will soon be finished for the season. Overall volumes have been slightly less than the 2025 season, shipping more Easy Peelers and fewer Oranges. We have finished loading Navels and Star Ruby, and we began packing Midknights a few weeks ago. We will most likely continue packing those for another week or two to conclude the season.
In terms of arrivals into the US, we still have the last of the Navels and Star Ruby arriving over the next two weeks. Strong arrivals of Midknights will continue until early October, with a few still arriving in mid-October.
We are busy loading our last conventional vessel, the Green Honduras, together with Seatrade. This vessel will arrive in Philadelphia during the first week of October. In addition, we are loading containers on the weekly service offered by MSC, which includes a seasonal port call in Philadelphia.
The standalone container service from MSC is new for us this season and includes calls in both Philadelphia and Savannah, GA. Savannah, in particular, presents an opportunity to build our business in that area. Weekly arrivals of fresh fruit have been the cornerstone of our sustained growth.
In this video, I elaborate more on the time and effort we’re investing in creating reliable shipping opportunities into the US.
Our goal is to meet the demand of US consumers by offering fresh weekly arrivals of citrus throughout the summer. Therefore, we have a strong focus on executing our total supply chain with absolute excellence. We work closely with our shipping partners to make sure we deliver to our customers exactly what they want, when they need it.
The reality is that Philadelphia is where our customers and repacking facilities are situated, but there are no established direct shipping options from South Africa. To get our fruit where it needs to be, we have had to create our own solutions. During our season, we charter dedicated conventional vessels through Seatrade and have also made an agreement with MSC for weekly service into Philadelphia. Together, these arrangements allow us to receive fruit through facilities on both sides of the Delaware River.
Working with a perishable commodity, we expect that each season brings its own challenges, but also new opportunities. We have learned to adapt quickly, manage our challenges, and utilize our opportunities collectively.
Please stay up to date with us during the season and reach to out to our grower-exporters or importers to secure your citrus during the summer months.
Thank you to all our loyal service providers for your continued support and contribution to our program!
Proudly growing, shipping, and selling the world’s finest Summer Citrus!
Suhanra Conradie
CEO – Summer Citrus from South Africa
suhanra@summercitrus.com
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