Derich Priga’s long road to packing fruit, by Gerrit Rautenbach. There is a contentedness about Derich Priga. Unlike many people out there in this world, he has never entertained the idea of being the victim. Neither has he ever victimised…
By Elise-Marie Steenkamp The fifth group of production managers enrolled in the Mazars-Hortgro learning initiative recently received their certificates. This unique learning and development programme was launched in 2019 when Hortgro engaged the services of Mazars to provide talent management…
Lessons learnt from two decades of organic stone fruit production, by Anna Mouton. Good things are said to be hard to find — and this is certainly true of organic growers of deciduous fruit in South Africa. Consumer demand for…
Load shedding in January came at an extremely inconvenient time for deciduous fruit producers, with harvesting, packing and cold store operations currently reaching a seasonal peak. Hortgro’s executive director, Anton Rabe, says: “Farms and packhouses had to make adjustments such…
By Jacques du Preez Although we believe we have reached a turning point, specifically in the Port of Cape Town, regarding the logistical crisis, we foresee another challenging season from a logistical point of view. Therefore, growers, exporters, and logistical…
By Jacques du Preez 25 March 2022 We were hopeful that the situation in the Cape Town port would improve after the issues encountered over December 2021 and into January/February 2022, but despite some glimmers of hope of clearing the…
To begin with, let’s look at the term “transformation”. In the (not so) new South Africa, the word “transformation” has become a buzzword, a politically correct term, and one often misused. The Oxford Dictionary defines transformation as “a marked change…
By Jorisna Bonthuys In the Western Cape, Ceratitis capitata, commonly known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, is one of the most economically harmful pests in orchards, causing fruit damage and posing a phytosanitary risk. Four years ago, Gulu Bekker,…
Adult education has been Lona Odendaal’s focus from early on in her life. The development of peoples’ potential and helping them to make the best of their circumstances has always been her passion. Lona is part of the Hortgro Learning…
Hortgro Science, the South African deciduous fruit industry research engine, recently held its annual Thank-You Breakfast in Stellenbosch. Prof. Wiehann Steyn, Hortgro Science General Manager, said that the event was a celebration and expression of gratitude to everyone who participated…
The Western Cape might be the country’s biggest apple-producing region, but many of the trees come from far away. Gerrit Rautenbach visited the Caledon Valley Nursery near Ficksburg in the Eastern Free State to establish why. Way back in 1989…
