LITCHI OVERVIEW: MARKET Johannesburg

Date: / 24/11/2010
Day: / Wednesday

Buying power:

/ 5/10 / (1 = poor, 10 = excellent)
Cultivars available: / Third-month-red / HLH Mauritius / X / McLean
Price: punnet (500g) / R25.00 / (average of prices quoted verbally by agents)
Price: 2kg / R50.00 / (average of prices quoted verbally by agents)
General problems & complaints, as per colour chart / Undeveloped/double litchis / Blue sulphur marks / Torn-out fruit stalks / Incomp sulph treatm / Skin discolouration
Sent too ripe / Litchis too small / No size uniformity / X / Torn fruit /leakage / X / Insect damage
Long stems / Decay / Blemishes / X / Sooty mould / Other*

Info of all of the above is according to market agent’s view of things and not according to the market computer software system).

Other: ______

Current feel/view of the market: Product sell very slow (150 Boxes sold), price still high, they hope it will pick at the end of the month.

LITCHI VOLUMES AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET

(Derived from computer software): 1094 Boxes

PRICE OF OTHER COMMODITIES AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET FLOOR

(Averages)

Commodity / Packaging / ®/Price
Apples / Jumble / R48.00 – R65.00
Apples / Count -70 -135 / R100 – R220
Avocados / 4kg / R50.00 – R80.00
Bananas / Box / R55.00 – R70.00
Grapes / 4.5kg / R60.00
Granadilla / Punnet / R15.00 – R18.00
Mangoes / Box- 2 x kg / R25.00
Musk melon / Each / X Box / R60.00
Nectarine / Tray / R25.00 – R40.00
Nectarine / Punnet / R5.00 – R8.00
Pawpaw / Box / R60.00
Peaches / Jumble / -
Peaches / Count – 15 - 18 / R25.00 – R40.00
Pears / Jumble / R70.00
Pears / Count – 38 - 80 / R90.00 – R120
Plums / Jumble / -
Plums / Tray / R50.00
Prickly pears / 2kg / -
Strawberries / Punnet / R7.00 – R9.00
Sweet Melons / Box / R60.00

General feedback regarding the current market situation:

1.  Agent: _RSA______

How busy was your floor so far this week? Out of 10 / 7/10
Which commodities on your floor are currently the best sellers? / Strawberries
Which commodities on your floor are currently not selling well? / pomegranates
What is the quality of the fruit on delivery? Out of 10 / 8/10
How well is the presented of the fruit?? (If it is possible?) out of 10 / 10/10
What would agents like SALGA to do to help them promote the consumption of Litchis? / Help to promote the product maybe use media to advertise

Current feel/view of the market: The problem is to get the commodities with high price to sell, the market is quiet currently and they hope to pick end of the month.

1.2 Litchis available on the floor:

Cultivar: Mauritius (150 Boxes perceptible on the floor):

Producer: Lowveld Sugars

Average diameter of the litchis: / < 28mm / > 28mm / X
SALGA “Quality Approved” sticker visible: / No / X / Yes
Packing date of Fruit / No / X / Date
Taste (Scale of 1 – 10) / 10/10
Colour / Sulphur

Remark: Dark colour on fruit.

Cultivar: Mauritius (240 Boxes perceptible on the floor):

Producer: Tomahawk Citrus

Average diameter of the litchis: / < 28mm / > 28mm / X
SALGA “Quality Approved” sticker visible: / No / X / Yes
Packing date of Fruit / No / X / Date
Taste (Scale of 1 – 10) / 9/10
Colour / Red

Remark: Poor Presentation on loose fruit

Cultivar: Mauritius (105 Boxes perceptible on the floor):

Producer: TSB

Average diameter of the litchis: / < 28mm / > 28mm / X
SALGA “Quality Approved” sticker visible: / No / X / Yes
Packing date of Fruit / No / Date / X
Taste (Scale of 1 – 10) / 8/10
Colour / Red

Remark: No fruit count/size.

1.3  Price of the litchis available on the floor:

Packaging / Cultivar / Price ®
Punnet (500g) / McLean / -
2kg box / McLean / -
Punnet (500g) / Mauritius / R25.00
2kg box / Mauritius / R50.00
Punnet(500g) / Third month Red / -
2 kg box / Third month Red / -

1.4  Problems regarding the litchis available on the floor (according colour chart):

Undeveloped/ double litchis / Blue sulphur marks / Torn-out fruit stalks / Incomplete sulphur treatment / Skin discolouration
Sent too ripe / Litchis too small / No size uniformity / X / Torn fruit/leakage / X / Insect damage
Long stems / Decay / Blemishes / X / Sooty mould / Other*

*Other ______

Photos of problems detected on market floor:

None.