The Impact of COVID 19 on the Citrus Industry
As most of the states in the U.S. are opening up and going mask-free, South Africa is entering its 3rd wave of the pandemic. The reality is that the we are behind on the vaccination process, but the show must go on and ships must get loaded in order to adhere to the demand of the U.S. market.
While Covid-19 has brought the world to its knees, businesses must continue to forge ahead and the Summer Citrus from South Africa program is a fine example of the tenacity required to weather the storm.
In 2020, we reached record volumes during an extremely challenging period. Not only did we deliver on the increasing demand in the U.S., our program is also a success story for the South African economy as well.
Covid-19 has also taught our industry valuable lessons of which the most important are 1) how to prepare for unexpected growth and 2) with a great group of service providers, your ability persevere even in the most challenging of times is greater.
Take a few moments to view this video and see the success story you are part of!
Production Update
Volumes are updated on a weekly basis and for now it seems overall volumes could be up by 7-10% compared to original estimates showing a 5-7% increase over 2020.
Quality is really looking good and sizing fits the U.S. market perfectly.
In terms of Easy Peelers, we are almost on-par with YTD estimates with Navels slightly ahead of YTD estimates.
The reality is that our supply-chain is running very smoothly as a result of sophisticated pre-season planning and preparation, as well as excellent communication between all parties involved.
Here in South Africa, our team operates in an extremely disciplined and organized manner. Communication is next-level and as a result, adjustments can be made very quickly!
Therefore, we are confident about our message to you today:
- Business is going according to plan
- Volumes are looking healthy
- Supply-chain is running smoothly
- We are prepared for any unforeseen challenge
Marketing Update
Summer is here, and we are busy driving demand for the best citrus of the season!
Last week we launched our consumer promotion, the Sweet Escape Sweepstakes!
So far we are off to a healthy start and are receiving positive engagement with shoppers.
We invite you to stay in contact with our importers and growers throughout the summer season, and remember to share the trade newsletter with your friends and colleagues! Your support and partnership are invaluable to our organization and efforts. Thank you!
Until next time, we wish you a very happy Independence Day in America and send you well wishes from your friends in South Africa!
Cheers,
Suhanra Conradie
CEO – Summer Citrus from South Africa
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