Early access to European market gift for South African kiwis

Published Oct 25, 2021

Tridge summary

South Africa has a unique opportunity to supply kiwis to the European Union in March, before Chile and New Zealand, potentially creating a national brand and providing an opportunity for import substitution. The global value of the kiwi industry has grown by 7% in the past decade, and there is a increase in the European market. The new golden kiwi cultivars and the economic will to export have revitalized the South African kiwi industry. The formation of the South African Kiwi Growers' Organization is seen as a positive step towards a unified industry and achieving a critical mass in the industry.

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

Original content

South Africa is still a net importer of kiwis, exporting about 550 tons annually, but the country has, according to Lianne Jones, the PMA manager for southern Africa, "a gift" in the form of an opportunity to buy in late February and early supply kiwis to the European Union in March, ahead of Chile and New Zealand. The early window for South African kiwifruit in Europe (source: Louw Pienaar, BFAP) “It's a unique positioning and the window needs to be filled – it's a market that's just waiting for South African kiwifruit growers and exporters,” she noted during yesterday's Beanstalk webinar with host Max MacGillivray on the South African kiwifruit industry. . Kiwis from South Africa are promising enough to consider creating a national brand around them, she said. Louw Pienaar of the Bureau of Food and Agriculture Policy (BFAP) told attendees that kiwifruit offers a similar opportunity to blueberries and pomegranates, with import substitution as an added benefit. Currently there are ...

Source: AGF