© Moradu Farming EnterpriseOver the past fifteen years, Koena Moradu has expanded the mango orchards on his farm to forty hectares, in beautiful flower at the moment, he says.
"If we can get early rain, we'll get a good crop," he says, "It's already very hot here in Letsitele, you can't control it."
Koena Moradu, who is a board member of the South African Mango Growers' Association, is in the process of expanding his mango crop still further on a second acquired farm, and when the 2025 mango harvest starts – roughly around the last week of the year – the crop will be packed in his brand-new mango packhouse, currently under construction and financed by the Industrial Development Corporation.
It benefits him to be the only mango grower in his area (all of his neighbours grow mostly citrus): his orchards have a very low incidence of malformation on flowers, he remarks.
In the past, Moradu Farming Enterprises sent their mangoes to the municipal market, but the new packhouse should open up new opportunities, perhaps exporting, and definitely supplying retail programmes; Moradu is in negotiations with retailers to supply them with Tommy Atkins, Kent, and Keitt. His future plans also include an expansion into Westfalia's Shelly variety.
© Moradu Farming Enterprise The Industrial Development Corporation finances the mango packhouse construction
Class 3 fruit goes just down the road to Letaba Citrus Processors for juicing. Moradu used to supply mangoes for drying, but, he says, the returns didn't make it worthwhile.
Peppers & cucumbers
© Moradu Farming EnterpriseAt this point, the sweet melon season has just ended, and the pepper market is picking up its head.
"Growing peppers outside means that sunburn is a problem, but from the peppers under the net we can harvest until October and November, they're protected against sunburn," he says. "I would like to have 10 hectares of netting."
Right: the big sizes that the market needs
A first this year, as part of the crop rotation programme he runs, were sweet melons to follow cucumbers. The pest pressure turned that into a challenging crop, he observes, and it's one he'll probably not grow again.
"My plan for next year is two hectares netting to plant cucumbers, bringing me to three hectares netting, with cucumbers on one side and peppers on the other. We plant cucumbers in February to have a winter crop."
© Moradu Farming Enterprise
For more information:
Koena Moradu
Moradu Farming Enterprises
Email: [email protected]
