Blueberry is the fastest growing horticultural sector in South Africa

Published 2021년 12월 1일

Tridge summary

A recent broadcast by Beanstalk.Global, in collaboration with PMA Southern Africa and experts, focused on the dynamic growth and opportunities within South Africa's blueberry sector. Hosted by Wian Mouton of Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Rouxan Jansen van Rensburg of Core Fruit, Louw Pienaar of BFAP, and Elzette Schutte of Berries ZA, the discussion highlighted the sector's significant socio-economic benefits, with a notable 5,000 full-time jobs created in the last five years. The blueberry industry, now in its fifth decade, has seen impressive expansion, both domestically and internationally, with exports surpassing €275 million in 2020 and expected to reach 35,000 tons by 2023. The panel emphasized the importance of strategic market positioning, innovation in cultivation, and investment in post-harvest practices to maintain competitiveness, especially against larger players like Chile and Peru. Additionally, the importance of sustainable and high-quality production was underscored, with a call to action for growers to stay updated on market trends and consumer preferences to ensure long-term success in the sector.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

On Beanstalk.Global's monthly broadcasts, PMA Southern Africa and a panel of experts discuss key aspects of different types of fresh produce grown in South Africa and look at ways to expand existing markets and enter new ones. The focus of this month's broadcast was on the blueberry sector in South Africa. The panel consisted of Wian Mouton from Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Rouxan Jansen van Rensburg from Core Fruit, Louw Pienaar from BFAP and Elzette Schutte, manager of Berries ZA. Agricultural economist Louw Pienaar sees enormous potential in the South African blueberry sector as a driver of socio-economic development, especially for much-needed job growth and improvement of living conditions. Blueberries are the fastest growing horticultural product in South Africa and this sector has created more than 5,000 full-time jobs over the past five years. Blueberry cultivation is the largest within the South African soft fruit family, with a share of approximately 74% of the total ...

Source: AGF