Large market for South African early apricots

The harvest of Carmingo apricots has started in the Koo Valley of the Western Cape and because Chilean apricots mainly go to the United States, there is a large market for South African apricots. Right: Pierre Burger, owner of Protea Farm, and farm manager Wayne Schoeman with their first Carmingo apricots of the season “At the moment there are actually no other countries that compete with South Africa in terms of early apricots. Australia and New Zealand have also harvested some, but not really in such volumes that it bothers us in the UK and EU,” says Michael Oosthuizen of International Plant Selection. “There is very little to no competition for South Africa at this time of the season.” He is very enthusiastic about the Carmingo varieties that are mainly established in the Koo Valley, in the Klein Karoo and in the Ceres Valley. He says the new Carmingo varieties are harvested even earlier than other early varieties (such as Supergold) currently available. The apricots are ...