The polyphagous shot hole borer beetle (PSHB) with its deadly fungus (Fusarium euwallaceae) has already created widespread havoc among trees in Gauteng and the Western Cape. While multiple research teams are currently studying PSHB, there are no known remedies to…
Earlier this month, a new cohort of young professionals from across South Africa’s deciduous fruit industry gathered at Bernheim, outside Paarl, for the launch of the 2026 Hortgro Launchpad Programme. The initiative brings together rising talent from across the value…
She steps down in December but her contributions to dormancy research will continue to help pome- and stone-fruit growers negotiate climate change for many years to come. By Anna Mouton. Western Cape winters are getting warmer and the application of…
Text: Glenneis Kriel The South African deciduous fruit industry, the Jobs Fund, and Land Bank recently launched Hortfin – an R600 million ring-fenced debt fund aimed at providing innovative and comprehensive financing and support systems in a manner that will…
There are so many young people in South Africa that pass matric but do not know what to do next. Perhaps their results were such that they do not qualify to attend university, perhaps they do not know if they…
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…
Hortgro’s Dr Minette Karsten and Marno van der Westhuizen recently completed Hortgro’s two-year industry leadership development programme. The programme culminates with an international study tour to gain international exposure. Karsten and van der Westerhuizen formed part of a group that…
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…
Compiled by Tru-Cape Tru-Cape’s pome producers in Ceres and the EGVV area are currently assessing the damages and losses caused by gale-force winds and rain over the weekend. “We are currently doing a damage assessment, but at the moment it…
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…
Hortgro, SATI, FPEF, Berries ZA, CGA, and Western Cape Government held a planning/pre- season meeting with the Western Cape Management team of Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) as well as representation from the Transnet National office…