Hugh Campbell, Hortgro technical and plant improvement manager shares some of the most pertinent questions about plant improvement and its necessity for sustainable growth. What is plant improvement? Plant improvement is a continuous process that aims to produce better fruit…
‘Packaging and plastics’ was the topic of discussion at the recent Footprint Webinar. Nitasha Baijnath-Pillay, Hortgro Sustainability and Natural Resources Manager, interviewed Philippe Binard, General Delegate of Freshfel Europe, for the webinar. Here is a transcript of the interview. Could…
By Nitasha Baijnath-Pillay and contributions by Dr Mariana Jooste (Hortgro Science), Ms Johanna Nathanson (Freshfel Europe), Ms Kirsten Barnes (GreenCape) While the general date for application is still 18 months away, South Africa’s pome and stonefruit industries are actively engaged…
Inga Dlumane certainly has the X-factor. He also has some serious ball sense and a lot of common sense. And the insight to let the right kind of sense prevail. By Gerrit Rautenbach Inga was born 31 years ago in…
Inga was born 31 years ago in the Eastern Cape in the town, Elliot, that is now known as Khowa. There, he had a good upbringing and schooling, where he developed an immense love for the game of football. Not…
By Elise-Marie Steenkamp The deciduous fruit industry is almost totally dependent on a healthy honeybee population and a viable beekeeping industry. It is therefore important that beekeepers and the industry regularly engage and share future challenges and growth projections. Mariette…
The Western Cape Bee Industry Association, the WCBA, is not issuing a recommended tariff this year for members hiring out their beehives for the pollination of agricultural crops. The WCBA has, instead, advised its members to negotiate individually with farmers…
By Engela Duvenage “Our mission is to enable upcoming farmers with the necessary skill, knowledge, and tools to prosper,” says Mariette Kotze, Hortgro’s group operations manager. Numerous recent documents and reports have allowed the pome and stone fruit industry to…
Water risks for pome fruit packhouses Blue North Sustainability was contracted by the Packhouse Action Group (PAG) to conduct a study on the water risks faced by pome fruit packhouses and cold storage operations. Find an infographic summary of the…
“While we recognise that the Port of Cape Town (PoCT) management is implementing a terminal turn-around strategy and welcome the acquisition of new infrastructure, the worryingly slow pace at which it is happening remains a deep concern and has direct…
By Desireé Thompson On 17 September 2024, the Post-Harvest Innovation (PHI) Programme held its Steering Committee meeting at the Hortgro Science offices on the Welgevallen Experimental farm in Stellenbosch. The meeting was followed by project presentations by five PHI researchers…
