While the South African citrus industry is gearing up for a consistent period of growth over the next seven years, one leading exporter says it is excited about the opportunities that this will create.
Sunday's River citrus Company (SRCC), based in South Africa’s Sunday’s River Valley in the Eastern Cape, says for South African citrus the best is still to come.
The company is one of the country’s leading citrus producers and is growing in all its categories of citrus. The Valley is expected to export 28 per cent more fruit by 2025 and according to Hannes de Waal, managing director of SRCC, will remain a foremost producer of South African citrus.
“Our growth is across all categories and we place an enormous effort on the taste and appearance of our fruit,' he said. 'We find that consumers in the East are extremely discerning and we are committed to deliver on the promise we make.”
De Waal said SRCC was part of a bigger stable of high quality producers and together they offered the best citrus to the world.
“All producers cooperate really well under the umbrella of the Citrus Growers Association and we know that we have to attract the international consumer to South African fruit in order to facilitate this growth.”
SRCC’s own growth plans are significant, with 12m export cartons in one season soon to be realised.
“This is 25 per cent more than our projected exports this season,' he continued. 'To cater for that 3m-carton increase, we added capacity at our Ingqweba Packhouse. At least 1m cartons more will be packed at the Hermitage Packhouse.”
The Sunday’s River Valley is known for its quality lemons and de Waal said that both a good navel and lemon crop is expected after sufficient rain. “The Sundays River Valley is the best place in the world to cultivate lemons.'
The region is fortunate to be close to the new Coega export terminal, as well as the terminal in Port Elizabeth. “Often fruit is packed and on a vessel within a 24-hour period,' de Waal outlined. 'What more can we ask for? We hope that the regional authorities can maintain that position for us as a major contributor of jobs in this province.”
The growers in the Sunday’s River Valley are directly responsible for the welfare and well-being of some 50,000 people and their families. “In South Africa and for the sake of growing our economy we take our role extremely seriously.”
De Waal said he was excited about progress being made with better market access in the East.
“We are ready to take advantage of this. We are an export industry and the world markets will grow. Yes, there will be challenges, but the long term is really positive. Remember too, Africa's time will come, and for those of us invested in this industry it will bring prosperity, no doubt.”
