"It's not a bumper crop but it's a stable, handsome, quality crop that we're taking off," says Gabriël Viljoen, chairperson of the Orange River Producers' Association of the harvest that is hitting its marks: the first is the pre-Christmas market in Europe, which (as became evident two months ago) would be a favourable one for early South African grapes: Europe's own grape season ended early due to floods in Spain.
Peru's grape volumes grown in the Piura region are down because of low rainfall over the Amazonian Basin. Moreover (and it's happened this year for the first time, Viljoen remarks) containers for Chilean cherries to China are drawing containers away from Peru's table grapes.
"We [the Northern Provinces and Orange River region] have approximately 3 million cartons of grapes in-transit that will arrive before Christmas. The season started four to six days late so there is a high demand for fruit."
Left, ARRA Passion Fire™ and right, Prime Seedless
Current market conditions are positive for South African grapes and it's a great launch pad for the three grape regions from the Western Cape that will start harvesting within the next few weeks. Approximately 75% of South Africa's grape export crop still find its way to Europe.
Earlier Chinese New Year 
The next mark to hit is Chinese New Year, which falls earlier next year on 29 January 2025. Grapes for this occasion can be packed until the first week of 2025, and it's a discerning selection to choose varieties best suited to the high quality spec required by the Chinese market.
Right: a bunch of Prime Seedless
Raisins are another arrow to their bow and here, again, weather conditions elsewhere (in Turkey, in this case) tilted in their favour and raisin exports will be lucrative for the next year.
"Our weather conditions are ideal this year – we expect no rain for the foreseeable future, and the warm day temperatures forecast will facilitate favourable ripening," he says. "To avoid working during the hottest hours of the day and to preserve fruit quality, grapes are cut from 3am by lamplight so that workers can be out of the sun by 9 o'clock."
Each block is cut three times over the course of a week: first the smaller, quick-ripening bunches, then the bulk of the crop and lastly the final generation of grapes to ripen. When fruit is ripe, it needs to be taken down and packed.
Grapes are distributed via various South African ports such as Cape Town, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Durban. Some producers also export some volumes via Walvis Bay in Namibia. "There is an array of options available to facilitate grapes reaching various markets in optimal timeframes," he says.
At the end of ten intense weeks of harvesting, it can feel like a battle has been fought and this year, Orange River grape farmers hope for a victory.
For more information:
Gabriël Viljoen
Orange River Producers' Association (ORPA)
Tel: +27 82 373 4769
Email: [email protected]