OTC Holland will soon finish the organic stonefruit season in South Africa. "Traditionally the volumes become smaller after the New Year," says commercial Fred Kloen. He looks back at a good season. "The volumes were larger than in previous years, but were absorbed well in the market. We carried a wide assortment and the price formation was very good."
Besides peaches and nectarines, the assortment consists of nectarcots, apricots, yellow and red plums. "It is the well balanced, wide assortment that is appreciated by our customers. Plums are standard front runners. the demand for peaches was good all season and the rest of the assortment is also doing well," says Fred. Most of the volume from the South African stonefruit doesn't arrive in Europe, but is marketed in Canada through OTC Canada - the subsidiary of OTC Holland. The products are specially packaged in the purple house label MmmBio.
Set supplier Pro Plum orchards is the only grower in South Africa to grow organic stonefruit. The family company with 65 hectares of organic stonefruit is located in the Limpopo Highlands. To safeguard the continuity the total stonefruit production takes place under hail nets. "Working with one organic supplier is risky from a spreading point of view, but we can define ourselves with a unique product and won't end up in a market awash with other stonefruit growers," says Fred.
"After the harvest the fruit is stored in a completely conditioned warehouse and transported to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg with the aid of cooled transport. From there the cooled expedition is flown to Canada. The Canadian market is incomparable to the European. It is all about air freight shipments and is mainly pre programmed for the supermarkets," says Fred.
With the office opened last year in Woodbridge (Toronto) OTC Canada wants to foresee the North American market of organic fruit from South Africa, Latin America and Europe.
OTC Holland and OTC Canada are stall holders at Fruit Logistica, hall 3.2 - D-07.
For more information:
Fred Kloen
OTC Holland
Mob: 0031 (0) 610 891 521
fred@otcholland.com
www.otcholland.com
With the office opened last year in Woodbridge (Toronto) OTC Canada wants to foresee the North American market of organic fruit from South Africa, Latin America and Europe.
OTC Holland and OTC Canada are stall holders at Fruit Logistica, hall 3.2 - D-07.
For more information:
Fred Kloen
OTC Holland
Mob: 0031 (0) 610 891 521
fred@otcholland.com
www.otcholland.com