It is with profound sadness that the South African Deciduous Fruit Industry has learnt of the passing of one of its “elder statesmen” – Alastair Moodie. Moodie, known as a problem-solver and innovator, stepped down as chairman of the prominent…
The 1662 award commemorates the first apples that were harvested in the Company Garden at the Cape in that year – 17 April to be exact. Joy van Biljon, one of the founding members of the Koue Bokkeveld Training Centre,…
Adriaan Theron was een van Hortgro Science se beurshouers, wat nou ‘n leidende rol in die na-oes kant van die bedryf speel. Hortgro het vir Adriaan gevra om meer oor homself, asook die werk van die Store-It Group, te vertel…
If you are a producer, a social (ethical) auditor is maybe not necessarily someone you might invite over for tea, yet these ‘agents of change’ form a crucial spoke in the economic value chain wheel. Elise-Marie Steenkamp investigates. As global requirements…
A group of hikers, with the help of Hortgro, Kromco and the Paul Clüver clan from De Rust Farm in Elgin created a hiking event in the Groenland Mountains. It was labelled Hiking for Hunger. The idea was to walk…
By Engela Duvenage For the past 18 years, researchers at Stellenbosch University (SU) have studied a selection of nematodes found naturally in South African soils. In the process, they have identified quite a few such roundworm species that could be…
BRIGHT FUTURE FOR NEW LEADERS By Elise-Marie Steenkamp Twelve fruit farm production managers recently completed a year-long leadership programme aimed at developing human capital on-farms. The twelve graduated recently and received their diplomas at a ceremony in Tulbagh. In 2019…
By Jacques du Preez During the past season, logistics, and in particular the functioning of the main ports from where we ship our fruit, have been a huge headache during the initial and further lockdown levels in South Africa and…
By Jacques du Preez After an unexpected, but welcome, increase in stone fruit production during the previous season, especially the plum industry is anticipating export volumes that are in line with the 2021/22 season. Normality has returned after the drought…
There are already many clinical studies that demonstrate the benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables. What stands out about a recently reviewed study published by Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts in American Academy of…
Bedryfskenners gee raad Deur Anna Mouton “Ek het in die twintig jaar wat ek boer al amper 150 hektaar vrugte geplant,” vertel Hendrik Pohl, ZZ2 se produksiebestuurder op Bokveldskloof, Ceres. “My pa het bykans niks geplant nie, want hy’t geboer…
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…