The South African Sharonfruit (also known as persimmon) industry is todonate an estimated 200 tonnes of the fruit to institutions caring forunderprivileged people in the country for the second year in a row.
Taking place in conjunction with the Desmond Tutu HIV foundation andthe recently established charity Foodbank, the project will see fruitgiven to the malnourished, HIV positive patients and needy pupils at anumber of Western Cape schools.
'This is our fruit and we are so grateful that we can also helpothers,' said Charlene Abrahams of the Swellen Sharon farm in theSouthern Cape, who handed the first large consignment of Sharonfruitover to Foodbank.
Foodbank will utilise the fruit as part of its Lunch Buddy programmein schools across the Western Cape region, aiming to provide pupilswith healthy lunches each day.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, currently visiting the US, welcomed the newsand expressed his gratitude to the South African Sharonfruit industry.
'This is another enormous and generous contribution that warms myheart,' he said. 'Some of this fruit comes from farms where workersrecently became co-owners and it offers people who are sick and hungrythe nourishment they desperately need.
'We know poor people are increasingly struggling to put food on thetable. the people who share this fruit with them are ordinary familiesfrom our country's rural community who inspire us all,' Archbishop Tutuadded.
South Africa's is expected to produce over 10,000 tonnes of fruit forthe first time, according to Cornie Swart of the Sharon FruitAssociation of South Africa, who added that the country is set to shipsome 7,500 tonnes to export markets this year.
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