The Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) of Southern Africa has published its 2025 season reviews for navel and Valencia oranges, providing a detailed look at crop development, packing outcomes, and export market performance across Southern Africa. According to the report, the navel season began with regional quality challenges and an initial estimate of 26.1 million 15kg cartons, but conditions improved as the harvest progressed.
Strong packouts in certain regions, production from late navel varieties, a longer packing season, and higher exports of Processing Grade (PP) fruit drove final packed volumes to 31.5 million cartons, 21% above the initial forecast. Europe remained the leading market, while exports to the Middle East increased slightly and shipments to Russia rose sharply.
The Valencia season followed the navel trend, with volumes exceeding the initial 52 million carton estimate due to favorable growing conditions, early color development, and strong packouts across key regions. High exports of Class 2 and PP-grade fruit, which accounted for 12% of total volumes, contributed to the larger crop, alongside record volumes from certain regions and Botswana’s first commercial Valencia harvest. Europe remained the top destination for Valencias, while exports to the Middle East, Russia, and Asia all increased significantly, with the larger crop placing notable pressure on markets and logistics throughout the season.
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