A new venture being overseen by a subsidiary of Dutch fresh produce company Cool Fresh International to develop production of table grapes in the Orange River region of southern Namibia is progressing well, according to the company.
Managed by Boet Burger of Cool Fresh Namibia, the Orange River Irrigation Project (ORIP) was formed in partnership with the country's ministry of agriculture in 2010 and is expected to yield a "substantial volume" of Sugraone and Flame Seedless for sale to customers in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
This year's harvesting got underway on 15 November, later than normal, and the project is set to increase its production tonnage by at least 20 per cent in 2012, Burger reported.
Niekie Rousseau, production general manager at Cool Fresh Namibia's primary growing site in Aussenkehr, said the outlook was bright for this year's campaign.
"The cold weather stayed with us a bit longer than expected, and we had to adjust to the preparations for the harvest in order to ensure that we could produce the best possible quality grapes within mother nature’s prevailing conditions," he commented.
"At the moment the irrigation and fertilizer programs have been finalised, and we expect to have a very successful harvest."
