French apples stranded in the Strait of Hormuz

12-3-2026

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is also affecting apple exports. According to a report on fruitnet.com, around 5,000 tonnes of French apples are stuck on container ships that cannot pass through the 35 km wide strait. One of the exporters affected is the French cooperative Blue Whale. The company is urgently looking for a new destination for 1,200 tonnes of apples with an estimated value of 1.5 million euros that were originally destined for Dubai.

The problem is that several exporters are facing the same issue and are looking for alternative destinations for their apples. This is causing competition between them. A total of 250 containers full of French apples are reportedly waiting to reach their original or a new destination. (Source: Fruitnet.com)

Problems for South African exporters too

South African exporters are also experiencing problems reaching their customers in the Persian Gulf. According to fruitnet.com, 176 containers of stone fruit and an unknown number loaded with table grapes are waiting to be delivered.