Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, the top fruit specialist from South Africa, said that global uncertainly, fuelled by the impact of the Coronavirus coupled with tariffs on fresh produce are challenges the industry currently faces.
Tru-Cape Managing Director Roelf Pienaar spoke to Agriculture Writer’s Association in the Western Cape after attending Fruit Logistica in Berlin:
Tru-Cape Marketing Director Conrad Fick with Die Burger’s Samantha van den Bergh, Porchia Adams of Fruitways, Marike Brits of Netafim and Tru-Cape Managing Director, Roelf Pienaar
“In South Africa the 2020 apple export forecast is for 35.7 million 12.5kg equivalent cartons which is about a six percent increase on last year. Pear exports are expected to be down by about three percent to 16.6 million 12.5Kg equivalent cartons,” he says adding: “Although Africa accounts for more than 50% of Tru-Cape’s total volume (local market and export to the Continent) the focus at Logistica is mainly on Europe. The hot issues at Logistica seem to be the impact of climate change on production and consumer eating habits; the widespread potential impact of the Coronavirus; and the continued downward pressure on prices by supermarket groups trying to maintain their margins against the impact of the discounters like Aldi and Lidl. We also see the growth potential in on-line fresh fruit delivery.”
Pienaar also used the opportunity to sample the newest crop of Flash Gala, the improved full-red Gala strain discovered by Tru-Cape’s New Variety Expert, Buks Nel. Flash Gala, the fruit from the Bigbucks tree, is now the most successful new variety in the history of SAPO, the Plant Improvement Organisation that propagates Bigbucks trees. “There are now more than 1.6 million Bigbucks trees in the ground,” he says.
Pienaar commented that macro economic indicators like Foreign Exchange indices, the oil price and tariffs can, and do, all shift the trading landscape. “We are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead but, like the rest of the world, concerned about how the Coronavirus will play out.”
For more information:
Brian Berkman
brianb@tru-cape.co.za
Tel: +27 83 441 8765