Cactus pear export booming for Afrupo
Afrupro Exporters is one of South Africa’s leading subtropical fruit marketing companies, responsible for marketing all grades of locally grown avocados, cactus pears and litchis both in South Africa and internationally. Based in Tzaneen, where they coordinate the logistics and marketing for all their avocado, cactus pear and litchi growers.
Social compliance criteria have been implemented by Afrupo's growers at grassroots level within the producing companies, using programmes that address worker welfare and social issues. Ultimately, the company aims to build a sustainable agricultural system that allows them to create wealth for the workers as well as protecting the environment, thus enabling the supply of quality fruit in an environmentally friendly way that paves the road for future generations.
MARKETING
Afrupo's marketing strategy is long-term oriented, making the long-term relationships with strategically selected partners in each market in South Africa and abroad very important. Over the past 12 seasons, the company has developed strategic, well-balanced marketing networks in Europe and the UK that considers all the variables of each particular season and cultivar to ensure optimal returns.
As a non-profit, grower-managed marketing company the primary emphasis is on shortening the marketing route of the fruit. Afrupo have efficient supply chains and extensive world wide distribution networks. "We’ve adopted this approach to maximise the returns to our producers, who are all based locally in the Tzaneen area of South Africa’s Limpopo province."
Quality is the company's core focus, and all producing farms are GlobalGAP accredited, while some selectively chosen producing farms are Tesco Nurture accredited. All pack houses are either BRC or HACCP accredited.
AVOCADO
Afrupro is the 2nd largest avocado exporter currently in South Africa, and its producers have invested considerably in the last 5 years in avocado production. The expansions have been focused on the local and export market (early and late crops) with plantings of Hass and Maluma Hass and early or late Fuertes and Pinkertons. 2200 ha are currently under plantings of which 30% are young trees coming into production over the next 3-5 years. The production season runs from week 8 and continues until week 40. New plantings are specifically aimed at developing into year round avocado production and supply.
Current production is around 2 million 4kg cartons with expected growth to 3.6 million cartons within the next 5-8 years.
CACTUS PEARS
Afrupro has the marketing rights for two of the largest cactus pear growers in South Africa who are both based locally in the Haenertsburg/Mooketsi area. "We currently have 180 ha under production of which Algerian (red variety) is the main export cultivar, Gymno Carpus (yellow variety) and Morado (white variety) being the most popular with our local markets. Our producers are expanding with new plantations to fulfil the growing demand locally and internationally, for this exotic fruit."
The production season runs from week 48 until week 18. Export is mainly done via sea freight, however airfreight is also an option at the beginning of the season.
Afrupro producers have also taken the bold step and become the first commercial producing cactus pear farms in South Africa to change it’s pest control system to an Integrated Pest Management system, which is a non-chemical pest control with the introduction of the Cryptolaemus beetle.
LITCHIS
Afrupro currently has 50 ha of Mauritians and Mc Leans under production and the season runs from week 51 until week 4. The company's producers are expanding their commercial production with an additional 15 ha of a new variety – Wai Chee which will come into production in 2015, extending the litchi export season until week 8.
For more information:
Andrea Smook
Afrupro Exporters
Tel : +27 (0) 15 307 7096(7)
Email : [email protected]
www.afrupro.co.za
