South Africa is expected to see more significant growth in its stonefruit sector this season, after dramatic increases in exports of apricots, peaches and nectarines last year.
Apart from its local market, which for decades has been absorbing fresh nectarines and peaches in particular, the traditional markets of Europe and the UK have always very much determined the success of every season. With steep growth, however, this will have to change and the industry sights are clearly set on taking advantage of opportunities in the Middle East, Far East and the local market.
The growth in the 1990s was very much in respect of old and perhaps unwanted varieties. This time round the South African stonefruit industry has remodelled itself with a whole range of apricot, peach, nectarine and plum varieties. The most exciting varieties of the best breeding programmes in the world are now in the country.
Coupled with this the local breeding programmes, as well as Culdevco - the organisation tasked with commercialising South African stonefruit varieties - have also brought forth an exciting new range.
One of these, a plum called African Delight, is now set to become one of the star performers in the South African plum range. “Never in the history of the South African stonefruit industry has one variety been planted so quickly and brought into production in such volume as African Delight,” says Jacques du Preez, product manager for stonefruit at Hortgro.
Leon van Mollendorf, general manager of Culdevco, says African Delight is open to all exporters, as long as they register with Culdevco.
“It is important that all growers and exporters have access to varieties which are developed with general industry funds. During the first two years of commercial selling of African Delight we gave two exporters exclusivity because they helped with the commercialisation process. Now African Delight is open to all,” he says.
Van Mollendorf adds that Culdevco is far advanced with the development of its African Pride range of yellow plums, while it has also introduced a new early red plum that is expected to replace Pioneer, which normally opens the season. “African Rose will be exported from the third week of November and normally colours naturally on the trees.”
He admits though that it is difficult for the individual new cultivars unless there is sufficient volume available. “With retailers in the UK and Europe also preferring to sell only two categories of plums, namely yellow and red/black, it is difficult to get consumers to realise the wonderful qualities of our new ranges. It is, however, a most exciting time in our industry and something which we can really take advantage of.”
Du Preez adds it is still early days, but nectarine exports could rise above four million cartons for the first time. Last year South Africa exported 3.5 million cartons, one million more than the previous year. Apricots also increased by 46 per cent and, according to Du Preez, growers are reporting another big crop for the new season.
Peach exports rose by 20 per cent and are set to continue as more and more new generation varieties come into production. Plum exports were slightly lower than the previous season at 9.3m, but the whole stonefruit category grew by 11 per cent compared to the previous year.
South Africa is also set to embark on a further three years of international campaigns for its stonefruit category after growers expressed overwhelming support in a national vote. Growers have also for the first time given approval for a local South African campaign for peaches, nectarines and plums in line with a decision to grow the local market along with general growth in production.
Du Preez says 94 per cent of growers supported the continuation of the campaign for three more years, adding the application for levies to be raised for the campaign will now go to the National Agricultural Marketing Council before the minister of agriculture, fisheries and water affairs is expected to sign it.
“We are experiencing tremendous growth, particularly in the nectarine and plum sectors and development of all our stonefruit categories in the South African market is now a priority,” he explains. He also confirmed that results of market research in Far East markets will soon be evaluated and countries will be targeted on the basis of exploiting the biggest potential first.
Stonefruit growers are excited about the prospects on the local market. Other product categories such as avocado and top fruit have seen strong growth in recent years and it is believed that the new range of stonefruit cultivars will satisfy an increasingly discerning South African public. Massive displays of large juicy nectarines, peaches and plums have dominated the summer months in the leading fresh produce retailer, Fruit & Veg City, with the group’s new concept of Fruit Lovers’ Markets reporting massive sales.
With the new season only weeks away, there have also been some changes at exporter level. The main shareholder in Delecta, Jonathan Gersch, has waved the company goodbye as it was restructured following the sale of two of the Graaff family’s grape farms in the Hex River Valley to the Karsten Group.
Robert Graaff, one of the industry’s best-known nectarine and peach growers for Ceres, has taken a majority share in Delecta. The Karsten Group is also a shareholder in the company, while another Graaff brother, De Villiers Graaff, who ran the farming operations in the Hex River Valley, is reported to be selling his share in favour of the company’s staff.
A spokesman says that most of Delecta’s grapes will in future be marketed by the Karsten Group, while stonefruit of the Karsten Group will again pass through Delecta.
Robert Graaff is one of those growers who helped pioneer the “flavor burst” brand with local retailer Woolworths. The range includes a number of categories, from stonefruit to grapes and top fruit, which yield very high taste and juiciness standards.
The structural changes in the South African industry during the past decade are not only restricted to a change in the cultivar range, but increasingly the country’s stonefruit are grown in the drier regions, with Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, once the heartland of the industry, having moved largely into wine production. -
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