Charl du Bois and André de Klerk were representing exporters Sunpride and Afrifresh at AGF Totaal and looking ahead to a potentially good grape season from South Africa. "We have invested a lot of time in ensuring the quality of our product offer and have a number of very good producers on board," said du Bois. "In both citrus and grapes, the last 12 months have been difficult for the smaller operators, but we are big enough to move our product around in a controlled manner."
It has been a challenging year, he added, but de Klerk said there is light at the end of this particular tunnel. Partnerships and joint ventures with growers in the major grape producing regions have been forged to ensure the companies a consistent supply of fruit throughout the grape season. "It is still early, but we have expanded internally and expect a much larger crop than last season," he said. "Quality to date looks very good and unless there is a late cold spell, we have every reason to be confident.
"We have quite a big programme into the UK, working with three multiple chains. Undoubtedly, costs have increased, while prices have come down, but the stronger growers with economies of scale will survive and prosper. We are getting more involved at grower level, as it is crucial now that we are fully aware of the costs and problems there are."
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