Climate change is affecting shipping volumes of fruit and vegetables, with the DHL Global Ocean Reefer Market Update for the second quarter of 2024 recording declines in bananas, berries and citrus.The banana trade was down 1.3% year-on-year, melons and berries by 6.8% due to poor harvests in South America, and citrus by 3.1%.South Africa is also feeling the impact of climate change.“Due to the interdependence of fruit production on climate, it is inevitable that climate change will affect fruit and vegetable production and quality,” according to Cyril Julius, general manager: coastal at the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB).“Similar to the rest of the world, South Africa is experiencing increases in average annual air temperature and changes in precipitation trends. “These experienced changes are projected to continue and intensify at alarming rates should factors causing climate change remain unresolved,” he writes.The National Climate Change Information System, which falls under the Department of Forestr y, Fisheries and the Environment, predicts that temperature increases of more than 4°C are likely over the entire South African interior from 2080-2099, going up to over 6°C in the western, central and northern parts of the country. Together with more frequent heatwaves, there will be “potentially devastating impacts on agriculture, water security, biodiversity and huma n hea lth ”.A PPECB study to determine the impact of climate change on the quality of fruit and vegetables in Limpopo, Western Cape and Eastern Cape confirmed that climate change influences fruit and vegetable production and qua lit y. With warmer and drier conditions, apples and plums tend to mature faster. Fruit was found to be severely affected by sunburn, which could result in higher out-of-grade fruit and thus poor farm profitability, he says.Citrus was affected by increased rind under warmer and drier conditions. However, climate change may have a positive effect on the quality of the fruit. The incidence of decay and waste was seen to decrease in hot and dry conditions. A crop which may benefit from climate change is potatoes, with Potatoes South Africa projecting an increase in production. Freight News was also told that new blueberry cultivars will see South Africa producing year-round.The season for lemons and grapefruit has also been extended by global warming.Farmers are adapting by erecting shade netting, investing in advanced or climate-smart agriculture production techniques, as well as degreening to improve fruit colour.
