Conference perhaps in Cape area (4)
I believe the answer is:
pear
'conference perhaps' is the definition.
(conference is a type of pear)
'in cape area' is the wordplay.
'in' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'PEAR' is hidden in the letters of 'cape area'.
(Other definitions for pear that I've seen before include "William, maybe" , "Fruit tree" , "Conference, perhaps" , "One fruit sounds like two" , "A fruit; sounds like couple" .)