Production 



South Africa's output of deciduous fruits for canning has shown a strong upward trend in the past decade 

 or so. Deliveries to canners reached a high of 182,000 tons in 1966, compared with 104,000 tons in 1958. Deliveries 

 in 1969 are estimated to have approximated the 1966 volume. 



Peaches are by far the dominant canning fruit, accounting for about 60 percent of canners' total 

 acquisitions. Deliveries to canners are estimated at 107,000 tons in 1969, more than double the average volume 

 delivered in the mid and late 1950's. Clingstone peaches have represented almost all of these peach deliveries in 

 recent years. Canning freestone peaches, plagued by their lack of popularity with canners and low grower prices, 

 have all but disappeared from the South African scene. 



Deliveries of clings to canners constitute nearly 95 percent of the total cling production in the Western and 

 Eastern Cape. The remaining quantity is either dried or sold fresh on the local market. 



Apricot deliveries have fluctuated between 16,000 and 27,000 tons since 1958, exhibiting no growth trend. 

 The principal reasons for this lack of growth are the downward trend in tree numbers and inconsistent bearing 

 characteristics of the Royal variety. Competition from other uses, especially drying, has also had an effect on the 

 volume canned. Approximately three-fourths of the crop in the Western Cape and Langkloof is delivered to canners, 

 with most of the remaining output directed to the production of dried apricots. Grower prices for drying apricots 

 generally have ranged between $100 and $140 per ton during the 1960's, substantially above the prices realized from 

 canneries. 



Purchases of pears by canners have ranged between 36,000 and 40,000 tons since 1966 after registering 

 sharp gains in previous years. They are expected to increase gradually in the future. The volume delivered to canners 

 represents about half of the total quantity of pears under the control of the Deciduous Fruit Board. 



Canners' purchases of fresh deciduous fruits 





Apricots 



Peaches 



Pears 



Other 1 





Year 



Royals 



Bulidas 



Total 



Cling- 

 stone 



Freestone 



Total 



Bon 

 Chretien 



Other 



Total 



Total 



1958 . . 



1959 . . 



1960 . . 



1961 . . 



1962 . . 



1963 . . 



1964 . . 



1965 . . 



1966 . . 



1967 . . 



1968 . . 

 19692 . . 



Short 

 tons 



16,458 



12,695 

 6,497 

 7,888 



Short 

 tons 



9,627 



10,111 



11,270 



8,628 



Short 



tons 



18,404 



26,788 



19,586 



22,887 



16,717 

 25,701 

 18,584 

 26,085 



22,806 

 17,767 

 16,516 

 19,000 



Short 

 tons 



53,379 



55,304 

 73,231 

 71,784 

 92,773 



101,635 



106,816 



98,523 



107,000 



Short 

 tons 



8,278 



3,192 

 5,502 

 5,357 

 3,745 



3,044 



1,913 



575 



Short 

 tons 

 60,434 

 41,453 

 53,380 

 61,657 



58,496 

 78,733 

 77,141 

 96,518 



104,679 



108,729 



99,098 



Short 

 tons 



19,015 



15,481 

 21,557 

 31,904 

 28,650 



38,933 

 35,335 

 35,472 



Short 

 tons 



2,334 



830 



988 



2,107 



2,354 



1,498 

 1,324 

 3,018 



Short 



tons 



15,986 



16,073 



18,002 



21,349 



16,311 

 22,545 

 34,011 

 31,004 



40,431 

 36,659 

 38,490 

 40,000 



Short 



tons 

 9,610 

 6,418 

 8,708 

 9,558 



9,535 

 11,408 

 10,108 



8,994 



14,336 

 12,115 

 15,971 



Short 



tons 



104,434 



90,732 



99,676 



115,451 



101,059 

 138,387 

 139,844 

 162,601 



182,252 

 175,270 

 170,075 



Apples, figs, plums, grapes, and quinces. 

 Estimates. 



Source: South African Fruit and Vegetable Canners Association 



Acreage 



The area devoted to the production of cling peaches and pears in the Western Cape and Langkloof has been 

 expanding continuously since 1952. In contrast, there has been a marked drop in tree numbers of apricots and 

 freestone peaches for canning. 



