On land where one of Gauteng’s most important aquifers surfaces, where traces of human occupation hark back to the Stone Age and the Iron Age, a farming enterprise is planning on becoming South Africa’s dominant supplier of cherries during October, when it’s not available anywhere else in the world.
Except that Maloney’s Eye in the Magaliesberg Mountains in Northwest Province is not what Nols Kotzé, CEO at Carnivore Capital and KJA Property Group, would call a farm.
“We regard the business rather as a technology/intellectual property enterprise with the best possible team running it,” Kotzé says. “The end product is cherries, but what we’re in actual fact building is a company with knowledge of cherry production that others do not have. We want to be the leaders in cherry production.”
The majority black-owned enterprise has instituted a revenue-sharing model for all employees. In an interesting twist of history, it is taking place on the erstwhile successful trout and dairy farm of David Pratt who had attempted an assassination of South Africa’s premier in 1960 in protest at the mass imprisonment of black activists following the Sharpeville massacre.
The aim over a decade is 500 to 600ha of early South African cherries (photos supplied by Maloney's Eye Cherries)
‘Maloney’s Eye Dream Team’ spans three continents
Back to the present day, Maloney’s Eye’s technical team has just returned from a visit to cherry farms in Chile; Kotzé says he’s impressed by the Chileans’ cooperative approach and the readiness to share expertise.
Monthly meetings by the ‘Maloney’s Eye Dream Team’, comprising growers from Chile and the United States, guide their cultivation practices.
The first cherries were planted in 2019 and the first commercial cherry crop was harvested last year and due to small volumes marketed locally.
With the acquisition of a neighbouring farm, available land totals 1,200ha on which, over the coming decade, between 500 and 600 hectares are earmarked for low chilling requirement cherry cultivars from Zaiger Genetics, IFG as well as open varieties.
The balance of the farm will remain as grassland and bush, Kotzé says, acting as a natural buffer to neighbouring vegetable farms.
Given the sensitive status of the aquifer formed in Malmani dolomite, older than two billion years, the flow of the spring is independently monitored every month and water use governed by the National Water Act.
The aquifer, which is also the source of the Magalies River, is very sensitive to rainfall fluctuation. Current summer rainfall has been ample and the fountain pumps about 1.2 million litres of water per hour, Kotzé says.
The flow of the Maloney's Eye aquifer, formed in archaean dolomite, has been monitored for a hundred years
Joint cherry venture with Halls
Carnivore Capital has no previous investment in fresh produce and while investigating the possibilities for avocados in the Western Cape (they eventually decided against it) developed a relationship with Halls which has culminated in a joint venture with Halls to market the cherries, a departure for the avocado grower-exporter.
Last summer seven tonnes of cherries were taken off at Maloney’s Eye. With the cooling system they have installed, which will allow trees to reach their chilling accumulation threshold quicker, they’ll be able to start harvesting a week or two earlier next year.
“We had very good feedback on the cherries, it was of export quality,“ says Brad Querl, production manager. “We’re looking at 30 to 40 tonnes which would allow us to export.”
Maloney's Eye cherries marketed by Halls
China is still ruled out as a destination for South Africa cherries, but demand from across Europe and the UK remains constant throughout the year.
“We can choose where we want to send our cherries,” Kotzé remarks. “Europe remains the main market but we’re excited by what’s going on in the United Arab Emirates and in the longer term, by Asia.”
Cutting-edge risk management technology
Twice now they’ve had to employ overhead sprayers before frost events; thee entire orchard is drenched in water half an hour before an anticipated frost event. Blossom tissue is protected against cell collapse by the ice layer that releases heat when it melts afterwards.
Kotzé notes that they lost only 1% or 2% of blossoms because of the Israeli-developed technology.
Protective ice crystals prevent cell collapse during a frost event
In case of rain during harvest – not needed during the past season – helicopters are on standby at nearby Lanseria airport.
“We’re spending a lot of capex to reduce risk,” Kotzé remarks. “We’re aggressively expanding, but we want to do it right. The number one thing is quality.”
Farm manager Ché-Slovo Jood concurs.
“Our big thing is quality and also conservation,” she says. “We’re keeping our environment in mind with everything that we undertake. We’re big on regenerative agriculture.”
Interrow vegetation in a cherry orchard
Ché-Slovo remarks that wind had adversely affected bee activity and hence pollination during flowering last year, particularly on trees on the outside of blocks. A repeat will be avoided through an expanded programme of planting windbreaks.
In cooperation with Haygrove innovative IP is employed in the nets covering all orchards, ensuring cutting edge hail protection.
“We’re constantly experimenting on trial plots. We’re extremely driven to measure every variable to determine its impact on profits,” Kotzé says.
For more information:
Nols Kotzé
Maloney’s Eye Cherries
Tel: +27 82 871 8001
Email: info@maloneyscherries.com
https://maloneyscherries.com/