OTC USA, one of the largest organic summer fruit importers from South Africa, has announced that it will be one of the first companies in the US to receive organic red ruby grapefruit from the country.
The fruit is cultivated by Orex Exports on two farms in Zwartbooisberg and Krantzberg in the lower Orange River Valley, and is benefiting from the USDA ruling that allows certain South African districts to export to the US out of pest-free areas, OTC said in a statement.
OTC is expecting to bring the first organic ruby red grapefruit to the east coast at the beginning of June, with initial volumes limited to see how the market reacts to the fruit, while small volumes will also go to retailers in Canada.
'Together with Orex Exports, OTC is building towards a better efficiency and distribution chain in North America,' the group said in a statement. 'In order to maintain organic integrity OTC does residue analysis on all their imported products to make sure the organic chain is never broken.'
