Small innovations make all the difference according to owner, the Hanekom family from the Witzenberg
The combination of an exceptional climate, flawless fruit without blemishes, and a generous dose of grace led to the Welgemeen Boerdery in the Witzenberg Valley claiming top honours for overall excellence at Ceres Fruit Growers’ (CFG) annual awards ceremony for 2024.
CFG is a shareholder in Tru-Cape, South Africa’s largest supplier of apples and pears.
Its shareholders are mostly located in the Ceres, Witzenberg and Bokkeveld growing region, which is one of South Africa’s biggest apple, pear, stonefruit and cherry production areas.
It was an all-round great year for Welgemeen Boerdery, which also scooped the Buks Nel trophy for best performance in BigBucks Gala, presented for the first time.
It was further honoured with trophies for its outstanding performance with Golden Delicious apples, Abate Fetel pears, and Mahana Red, described as a “brilliant red” apple variety.
“Last year was an incredible season, and we were truly blessed,” said Hannes Hanekom, who heads up operations at Welgemeen Boerdery.
He farms with his brother, Sakkie Hanekom. Their father, Izak, is also a shareholder in the business.
“It was a fantastic winter, with sufficient chill units and ample water,” Hanekom continued. ”From there, everything aligned perfectly. We had no strong winds, hail, or sleet that could damage our fruit.
”Over the years, we made sure our production remains high, but in a season like last year, where everything came together so well, we could focus on the finer details to ensure great quality,” he noted. ”We are deeply grateful for seasons like these.”
The Hanekom family grows apples and pears on approximately 200 hectares – of which about 90 per cent are apples – on its farms Welgemeen and Slagboom.
To ensure cash flow stability and to utilise natural resources, the family also produces onions and onion bulbs for seed production.
“The Witzenberg Valley is renowned for apple production,” confirmed Hanekom. ”The fact that we are located at a high altitude and cooler than the Warm Bokkeveld, which is closer to Ceres, plays a major role in our success with apples.
”That being said, some pear varieties, like Abate Fetel, do exceptionally well here, and I think it is because of chill requirements.”
