South African fresh produce exporter Capespan has made its latest investment in the country's apple and pear orchards with the acquisition of the Queen Anne farm in the Vyeboom district, one of the oldest in the region.
The purchase, according to Capespan managing director Neil Oosthuizen, is part of a drive to ensure the company stays relevant, due to the increasing trend of retailers engaging directly with producers.
The move will also lead to a welcome boost in increasing production, Mr Oosthuizen said, while the farm annually exports 250,000-280,000 cartons of topfruit to the European and UK markets.
Capespan's latest purchase follows the acquisition in 2008 of Applethwaite in the Western Cape's Grabouw district, through its associated company Rapiprop.
Meanwhile, the group has revealed that it will be prioritising global sourcing, with the aim of increasing the volume of produce sourced from outside of South Africa to 50 per cent of its total sales within two years.
In 2008, Capespan sourced 19.2m cartons of fruit from 40 different countries.
