Fruit SA has reached a significant milestone by celebrating its 10th birthday in style. The non-profit organisation, representing the interests of the fruit industry in South Africa, has been dedicated to promoting and supporting the fruit sector in South Africa for the past decade.
In a grand gathering at Monte De Dios in Zwavelpoort, Pretoria, this event not only celebrated a decade of prosperity and expansion for Fruit SA but also stood as a testament to the industry’s steadfast dedication to providing the freshest and highest quality fruits to consumers nationwide.
Reflecting on the journey
CEO of Fruit SA Fhumulani Ratshitanga highlighted key fruit industry achievements.
“With 60% of our fruit shipped to more than 100 countries around the world, export is where the fruit industry of South Africa has a vested interest,” she said.
“The industry currently supplies nearly 325 000 on-the-job jobs, which makes it possible for our world-class fruits to end up in kitchens around the world, currently spreading the South African food footprint one set of taste buds at a time.
“Furthermore, exports have enabled the fruit industry to inject more than R63 billion into the South African economy, and this is hardly pocket change. We’ve come a long way as an industry and have reason to be proud of our collective efforts and joint success,” Ratshitanga said.
Such accomplishments rarely stem solely from the endeavours of one person, Ratshitanga remarked, extending her appreciation to her colleagues, industry partners, government, and all those who have made contributions to the journey that led to this significant milestone for Fruit South Africa.
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Key commodity in the economy
Dr Sifiso Ntombela, special advisor to the minister of agriculture, land reform, and rural development Thoko Didiza, congratulated Fruit SA for the job well done in promoting the fruit industry in South Africa and abroad.
Ntombela represented Didiza, highlighting the significance of the fruit industry in creating jobs, generating foreign earnings, and attracting investment in rural and farming communities.
“In 2022, fruits and nuts as a commodity were ranked No 7 in exporting commodities, generating over R73 billion in foreign earnings. That’s one of the indicators emphasising the importance of the fruit industry in agriculture and our economy,” he said.
Ntombela emphasised the need for creating and expanding export markets. This, he said, is to ensure that there is a market for additional production.
“Negotiating a new export protocol is an area that the government is very committed to embarking on and working hand in hand with the fruit industry to ensure we have access to international markets,” Ntombela added.
Tackling transformation
Highlighting the five strategic pillars of Fruit SA – transformation, market access, government and stakeholders, information management and communication, logistics and infrastructure – the executive director of Hortgro, Anton Rabe, unpacked the principle of transformation.
He said an objective of Fruit SA is to have a fully transformed fruit industry by 2038. This would include black people participating across the entire fruit value chain on an equitable basis, with black producers at 30%.
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“Transformation is a process, and at Fruit South Africa, we believe it must be sustainable, impactful, and meaningful over some time.
“Currently, the area under fruit production by black growers is 8%, making up 7.6% of our volumes. Many of these come from new watches and new cultivars, so that percentage will grow,” Rabe said.
According to him, there are a substantial number of dedicated commercial farmers who are deeply committed to the fruit industry.
“I believe that we’ve got a challenge to make sure that we can bridge this generational skills gap, ensuring that the next generation of farmers come through. And to ensure that those that are already in, don’t exit.”
Importance of market access
Dr Mono Mashaba, the specialist consultant at Fruit SA, said without market access the industry would not be where it is today.
“Our goal is to grow, retain, and optimise market access to ensure that we can contribute to the economy of our country and also to the role we are looking forward to.
“About 60% of our goods get exported, and that’s where the value is in the industry. Thus, market access is important for the growth of the industry, South Africa’s economy, revenue, jobs, and transformation,” he said.
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