Pomegranate pioneer: Debbie Theunissen’s rise in fruit farming

From a background far removed from farming, Debbie Theunissen has built Bovenvlei Farm in the Western Cape into one of South Africa’s leading commercial pomegranate producers. She shares her journey from food technologist to award-winning farmer in this edition of Farmer Mentor.

When Debbie Theunissen entered agriculture, it was not through family inheritance or childhood exposure to farming, but through opportunity, expertise, and long-term vision. Today, as owner and managing director of Bovenvlei Farm, she is recognised as one of South Africa’s leading commercial pomegranate producers.

Before entering farming, Theunissen explains that she did not grow up in a farming family and entered both food technology and agriculture as a first-generation professional. “I don’t come from a family background of agriculture or food manufacturing at all. It’s something I did as part of my tertiary education.”

She adds that her path reflects the experience of many South Africans, who are doing things for the first time without a family history in the field, and whose parents did not complete high school. She also credits her husband, Andrew, for his support in helping the business grow.

Alongside them, long-time partner and co-director Elrita Venter has remained involved since the farm’s establishment, playing a key role in its development and success.

The turning point came through a water use licence application on a pomegranate farm along the Berg River.

“It started with a request for a water use licence on a particular farm, in exchange for 30% of the production. We were successful with that application in 2015, and a couple of years later, we bought the farm from the owners,” she says.

Building a commercial pomegranate operation

Bovenvlei Farm spans 152 hectares, with approximately 70 hectares under fruit production.

“The main crop is pomegranates – about 67 hectares – and then a couple of hectares of passion fruit, which we are looking to expand in the future,” she says. The farm operates across the full production chain, from orchard management to packing and export coordination.

The pomegranate orchards were planted between 2011 and 2015, with trees taking eight to ten years to reach full maturity. The farm mainly grows the Wonderful variety, which is widely used in South Africa for its longer shelf life and export suitability, after earlier trials with sweeter varieties proved unsuitable for overseas shipping.

Theunissen explains that yield typically begins around the third or fourth year and gradually increases as the trees mature. “The orchards weren’t all planted in one year, some trees were producing more than others, and every year there was an increase in production,” she says.

However, the early years still required financial resilience. “Fruit farming is a long-term, costly exercise. It can be very profitable, but you need to be able to fund it until it reaches that stage,” Theunissen says.

Personal financial planning played a key role. “We started later in life and had investments and savings we could free up to cover operating shortfalls. We also had to look for finance.”

Water licensing and infrastructure investment

Water access played a key role in the farm’s early success, supported by a departmental allocation aimed at promoting agricultural transformation. However, increasing scarcity and shifting water policies have made supply more difficult.

The 2018 Western Cape drought underscored this vulnerability, when expected yield gains turned into a significant decline. In response, the farm invested in infrastructure, building a dam to store winter water for summer irrigation.

Technology plays a central role in water and soil management at Bovenvlei. The farm initially used probes in different blocks to monitor soil moisture, with manual checks to confirm the readings. Today, the system is fully integrated, providing real-time graphical insights into soil moisture levels, while data-driven assessments guide fertigation and soil conditioning.

“There are natural risks completely outside your control, and you have to contend with them,” she says.

A niche crop with a global market

Pomegranates are still a niche crop in South Africa, while they are a common and widely consumed fruit in many other countries. The local market is limited, whereas overseas, especially in the northern hemisphere, pomegranates are eaten regularly, similar to apples. Meeting export compliance standards is essential and cannot be overlooked.

“If you’re farming pomegranates, your eye needs to be on the export market from the start. That means Global Gap, SIZA, and pest protocols must be part of your operating practice. Without export, you don’t have a customer,” she says.

Their hard work paid off, with the Best Commercial Producer award and a finalist spot at the 2025 Young Farmers Awards.