BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Origin
South Africa’s diverse landscapes are not just stunning to admire and explore: the amazing combination of Mediterranean climate, steep hillsides, excellent soils and over 100 years of experience in the Western and Eastern Cape helps to produce some of the world’s most delicious, high quality stone fruit.
Seasonality
South African stone fruits are available from November through to May, when European varieties aren’t.
SUPPORTING OUR WORKERS
The South African fruit industry is tackling the challenges of transformation and economic reform. Agriculture is the sunrise sector which can bring jobs and economic stability to our country - it is well-placed to lead the economic recovery of South Africa from the front.
Employment and transformation initiatives such as PALS and The Jobs Fund Project have been established by fruit farmers and local organisations with economic growth, job creation and social harmony as its main goals.
These aim to ensure the establishment of both emerging farmers and successful black farmers as owners of the land, and involve the whole community in an inclusive process, and also provide mentorship and training programmes. These initiatives encourage systemic change in the agriculture sector.
SUSTAINABILITY
The majority of South African stone fruit is shipped worldwide rather than flown, being much kinder to the planet.
The South African agricultural industry works alongside the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA), which enables the sector to be a global leader ensuring sustainable, ethical trade and environmental stewardship.
Stone fruit growers participate in SIZA’s environmental audit programme that aims to improve their sustainability as producers. Farms have implemented best-practices such as monitoring water-use efficiencies, using satellite imagery to improve water management, implementing biological and organic farming practices, calculating their carbon footprint, and making use of solar panels as an alternative energy resource.
Not only do South African growers already adhere to the highest international safety standards, but farmers also comply with the more comprehensive and specific private and commercial standards that ensure an ongoing supply of safe, quality fruit for export markets.