ELGIN Grabouwer Year 7 Volume 17 for Newsstand International

ELGIN Grabouwer Community 19 September2014 5 Tough 2015 for South African top fruit As the south African top fruit export season reaches it conclusion, FreshPlaza caught up with Jacques du Preez from HortGro at Asia fruit Logistica to discuss this season and see what is in store for the next. "For pears we will end up with similar volumes as last year which is not too bad, it has been a difficult season but looking back it will probably end OK." The apples season has not been so good though, "We lowered our export estimates a month ago by 25%. At first we though it would only be down 15%, but due to hail storms and rain in November 2013 it was more. The biggest losses were in the Ceres region, they actually closed packing houses at times during the season, this has never happened before, it is unheard of. They are down as much as 50%." The EU had large carry over stocks and Chile had a lot of small apples which suit the UK market. "Our volume to the UK is down substantially, as much as 40-50%, Chile saw an increase in exports there. "Europe has been tough and now in the last third of the season we mainly service Africa, the islands and the Middle and Far East, there volumes are more in-line with last year. In the end we will be around 30% down in total volumes," explains Du Preez. For the 2015 season Europe is looking at a record crop and with the Russian market closed there will be more Polish crop as well as excess from the other countries on the market, South African exporters are anxious that there will be huge carry-over stocks in 2015. On a more positive note, Du Preez said that Chinese inspectors have been to South Africa and protocols have been worked out and signed off. "Our department of Agriculture has been in China this week to do an inspection on dates and when this is agreed we will have a kind of trade off and we can send apples there." There should be a meeting in November to round everything off. "The season will start in January and all of our growers and pack houses are already registered and will be able to export to China." "There will be a lot of pressure on South African apple exports in 2015, this season has actually been a blessing in disguise, when you look at the coming season. We have had to look into other markets and we had to be clever to find places here and there to sell the fruit." The growing conditions for the 2015 season have been perfect so far. Over the winter there has been a good amount of rain which has filled the dams, growers have also had a good number of cold units and should be looking at a good crop proving there are no hail storms at the end of the year. - NICOLA WATSON Jacques du Preez, Hortgro Klaus is EGVV se Plaaswerker van die Jaar “Ek bewe nou skoon.” Dit was die woorde van Klaus Booysen wat as die Plaaswerker van die Jaar vir die Elgin, Grabouw, Villiersdorp en Vyeboomstreek aangewys is. Klaus, van die Monteith Trust, was ook die streekwenner in die kategorie vir middelbestuurders. “Ek kan eerlik sê dat die afgelope tien jaar by Monteith Trust die beste jare van my lewe was,” het Klaus tydens die ontvangs van sy pryse gesê. Me Izel Botha, projekbestuurder van Shine wat die geleentheid georganiseer het, het Klaus as ŉ fenomenale werker, ŉ wonderlike mens en ŉ waardige wenner beskryf. Volgens Botha het hulle vanjaar 1 16 inskrywings vir die kompetisie ontvang. “Ek is tydens die beoordelingsproses telkens stomgeslaan deur hierdie werkers se kennis oor en passie vir die landbou. Ek kan nie wag om die potensiaal te sien wat binne die volgende tien jaar in hulle ontsluit gaan word nie. Hoe die vroue in die landboubedryf uitskiet, is ook verblydend om te sien. Hulle werk vir hulle respek in ŉ tradisionele manswêreld los,” het sy gesê. Tydens die geleentheid is plaaswerkers ook met langdiens toekennings vereer. Prins Swart, ŉ werker op die plaas High Noon, het ŉ toekenning vir sy 44 jaar diens ontvang.

ELGIN Grabouwer Year 7 Volume 17 for Newsstand International | Seite 5