Tru-Cape’s Procurement Manager, Calla du Toit, says of the 2022 season cherry crop that it is too early to comment on quality but the flowering period has been positive and they are seeing good bee activity so good pollination and good fruit set is expected. In terms of volume, the next five to six years look very positive with almost double the number of hectares planted expected to increase off the current 500ha.
“We are positive about volume because of good weather conditions in the flowering period. Very good demand too with regular enquires from the retailers. Challenges include economic conditions which are depressing people who are sick and tired of high fuel costs and load shedding. Sheep farmers mention a drop in sales in favour of cheaper meats. Everything that is expensive will be under pressure. The challenge will be for Tru-Cape to be able to offer a good product at a reasonable price to give customers good value for money,” Du Toit ends.
With harvest between mid-October and mid-November, the South African cherry season is a short one but, because of its proximity to the high-value Christmas season, this most traditional celebratory fruit delivers strong returns and Tru-Cape expects this year’s crop to be no different.
Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing is the largest exporter of South African apples and pears and a company wholly owned by the growers of Two-a-Day in Grabouw and Ceres Fruit Growers.
