South African pome fruit producers are looking forward to exports bouncing back. This, on the back of a lower pome fruit export crop due to hail damage in some of the major fruit producing areas during 2023. The 2024 harvest…
By Jacques du Preez The 2023 harvest is in full swing, and growers are anticipating an export crop that is slightly lower than the previous season. The lower export volumes are a result of hail experienced during November and December…
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…
The current pome fruit season is well underway after a later start, says Jacques du Preez, Hortgro General Manager: Trade & Markets. “The season so far is 7 – 10 days later than normal. This can be attributed to a…
The technical production story of the recent pome fruit season concluded with a fairly happy ending given plot twists such as extreme weather events, “reliable” cultivars underperforming, and a global pandemic that almost single-handedly disrupted the fruit value chain. Despite…
“Industry high standards, agility, and resilience made quick adaptions possible.” During Week 25 of the current pome fruit season, there was a marked increase in apple exports. This in contrast to previous weeks where the impact of Covid-19 played havoc…
The South African 2020 apple export season has started amidst some uncertainty as to how the COVID-19 outbreak will influence international trade. What is certain though, is that there has been a strong West-East trade shift over the past two…
By Carmé Naudé Mariette Kotze, Hortgro’s Group Operational Manager, was recently appointed to the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB), as representative of the pome and stone fruit industries. Kotze who has been working in the deciduous fruit industry for…
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…
In June this year the SAAPPA board, HORTGRO management team and other industry role-players came together at Klipbokkop to align the apple and pear producers for the future. The workshop, facilitated by Louis von Broembsen, aimed to clarify the role…