Piet Karsten will have more time now to concentrate on further expansion of his empowerment project at Keboes Farm, which supplied the first Fairtrade branded South African grape to the UK last year.

Piet Karsten will have more time now to concentrate on further expansion of his empowerment project at Keboes Farm, which supplied the first Fairtrade branded South African grape to the UK last year.

Piet Karsten of Karsten Farms, has resigned his directorships of Capespan Group Holdings Ltd and Capespan Grapes, of which he was also chairman.

South Africa's biggest grape producer, Karsten explained that his decision to step down was based on a desire to strengthen focus on his grape producing business and empowerment programmes.

He has had great success in expanding both in the last year, with Keboes Farms gaining excellent exposure as a flagship in the provision of the first South African Fairtrade branded grapes to the UK.

Karsten will continue as a trustee of Cape Grape Producers Trust, which obliges him to give Capespan top priority as marketer of his grape crop.

Capespan said it will continue to handle a sizeable proportion of Karsten's grape.

Karsten will also have more time to concentrate on international interests in Egypt and, according to press reports he is believed to be in “advanced negotiations with producers in Brazil and Peru, and is looking at other countries to set up similar joint ventures with like-minded growers”.

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