By Karien Bezuidenhout Although South Africa’s cherry exports are relatively small (0,1% in 2024) compared to Chile’s (49% in 2024), the industry has grown by leaps and bounds. In 2012, South Africa had 185 hectares of cherry plantings, and by…
The South African stone fruit industry is preparing for the 2025/2026 export season with optimism, thanks to favourable weather conditions during winter and blossoming, which led to good fruit set and fruit quality across most production regions. Overall export volumes…
Press release: 15 October 2025 SA Stone Fruit on its way to Chinese consumers Hortgro, the governing body of the South African Deciduous Fruit Industry, is pleased to announce that market access has been granted for five types of South…
The information shared here is based on official documents regarding maturity and quality standards for stone fruit, downloaded from the National Department of Agriculture’s website. [3 October 2025] Apricot Export Standards: apricots_reg2022 apricots-part3_reg2022 apricots-tab_reg2022 apricots-part3_tab2022 Plum Export Standards: plums_reg2022_ plums-tab-2022…
The 1662 Award is special, and you may wonder where it originates and what 1662 refers to. On 17 April 1662, the first two apples were picked in the Company’s Garden at the Cape. They were Witte Wijn Apples. This…
Text: Lucille Botha André Kritzinger (28), owner and general manager of Tulpieskraal Boerdery in the Langkloof, has been named the Eastern Cape Young Farmer of the Year for 2025. For Kritzinger, the recognition is a significant milestone. “I’ve always looked…
As the 2023/24 season draws to a close it is a good time to take a step back and reminisce. What was the past season like for pome and stone fruit? The total 2024 apple export volumes are projected at…
Despite frost heavily affecting early cherry varieties, cherry growers remain positive about the overall quality of this season’s harvest and the promising opportunities available in both local and international markets. “While there may be less fruit on the trees this…
Growers are positive about the crop for the 2024/2025 export season. Early indications are that overall volumes will increase compared to last year. This comes after a challenging 2023/2024 season that included extreme weather events (storms, fog, strong winds in…
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…
Sixteen years after Thailand banned the import of South African deciduous fruit, due to an administrative error, negotiations are progressing in the right direction. At the time of the imposition of the ban on the exportation of South African fresh…
By Jacques du Preez After a very disappointing 2021/22 season, which despite a good crop turned out to be a disaster on farm level given trade and logistical issues, stone fruit growers and exporters are looking forward to a much-improved…