Press release January 2018 Drought challenges fruit industry Western Cape fruit farmers and rural communities are under tremendous socio-economic pressure due to the crippling drought, according to the deciduous fruit industry organisation, Hortgro. Hortgro is concerned about the unfounded and…
Oor die Bokveld se stories, streke en karakters kan mens sekerlik ‘n dik boek skryf. Net in een familie kom mens Piet Kalifornië, Piet van Die Bos, en Piet Parlement teë. En nou ook, hoewel aangetroud, Pierre du Toit. Of…
Text Nitasha Baijnath-Pillay Consumer demand for sustainably produced fruit and investor preferences for ESG-compliant businesses are reshaping farming practices worldwide. In South Africa, fruit growers have consistently been at the forefront. As early as 2008, the fruit and wine industries…
A Summary from the WAPA Report: August 2021 – European forecast The World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) released the 2021 European apple and pear crop estimate. In 2021, the apple production in the EU for the 28 top producing…
South African plum growers have reported excellent crop quality this season as they look to inspire UK consumers to choose their fruit. With the plum season now in full swing, the governing body of the South African Deciduous Fruit Industry,…
Despite Covid-19 and a few tough drought years, the deciduous fruit industry has been blessed with exceptional harvests in every fruit category managed by Hortgro, after “near-perfect growing conditions”. Hortgro expects a record apple and pear harvest this season, despite…
Prepared by Brian Berkman The last years have been challenging for one and all but, for Andre Cloete, a Tru-Cape apple and pear grower, near Greyton in the Western Cape’s Overberg region, it has been especially hard. “My wife Charmaine…
The Optimal Agricultural Business Systems appointed by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture is conducting surveys to evaluate the service needs of different farmer categories in the Western Cape. English Survey here. Afrikaans Survey here.
By Kara van der Berg Education is a basic human right enshrined in the South African constitution. However, children of farmworkers often struggle to access schools, owing to a range of factors, including the distance of farms from schools, the…
The South African stone fruit industry is preparing for the 2025/2026 export season with optimism, thanks to favourable weather conditions during winter and blossoming, which led to good fruit set and fruit quality across most production regions. Overall export volumes…