CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - A letter from Suhanra Conradie, Chief Executive Officer of Summer Citrus from South Africa (SCSA), shared new details about the 2025 season and the complex supply chain supporting it. Included in the update was a video highlighting the dedicated service providers working throughout the logistics network; footage filmed just before increased tariffs into the U.S. took effect.

Challenging markets like the U.S., Suhanra explained, and the sophisticated supply chains that support them, take years, and in many cases, decades, to build. “We began our journey into the U.S. more than two decades ago, and so much has happened in-between,” Conradie shared.

What started as a seasonal category from June to October has grown into a full-scale commitment, establishing SCSA as a preferred citrus supplier during the summer months. Several strategic pillars have guided this evolution, from managing supply and demand and shipping only the best quality fruit, to choosing the right partners, sharing transparent real-time information, and ensuring fresh citrus reaches U.S. retailers weekly.

“These were implemented to coincide with our goal of sustaining and growing our market responsibly with our respective partners,” Conradie noted.

As the pressure built toward the beginning of August, when the increased tariffs were set to take effect, SCSA reported a few weeks of additional loadings balanced by slower weeks, particularly for Easy Peelers. “In terms of available produce now in the U.S., Easy Peelers volume is low, Navels and Star Ruby are on par with what is expected for this period of time, and Midknights will start to arrive early October to help complement the market with a solid eating Orange product,” Conradie shared.

“During the 2024 season the available product was lower due to increased rainfall, but we started 2025 with a good expectation of a healthy crop. However, the situation with the tariffs changed the playing field completely. Any tariff has an impact on any market, and the South African citrus was not spared and was hit harder than most. The dynamics have totally changed as the growers and suppliers of the fruit must find an economical, workable way forward for both parties. But in between the growers and the buyers of the fruit, there is a committed group of supply chain service providers working to execute this program with excellence,” Conradie continued.

“Please stay up-to-date during the season and reach out to our grower-exporters or importers to secure your citrus during the summer months. Proudly shipping and selling the world's finest Summer Citrus!” she concluded.

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