Berry farming is capital intensive and export orientated. It is also labour intensive, and so has been championed as a crop of national interest by government for its employment and earner of foreign exchange potential.
Berries are sold as fresh produce, and so the post harvest process from the field to the customer plays a vital role. Prompt cooling after picking is important. The cold chain must be strictly applied, because any temperature variation will result in condensation of moisture on the fruit with subsequent increase in decay.
Handling requirements for berries differ and there is no way one set of handling requirements can be given. Suffice it to say that they are very delicate fruits and must be handled with the utmost care.
Berries are consumed as fruit, and also used as products for juice, jam, yoghurt preserves and liqueur.
Source: Trevor McKenzie
The Fresh Produce Exporters Forum (FPEF) in its Fresh Fruit Export Directory includes pomegranates and cherries along with blueberries and raspberries under the category “Exotic fruit”. Although there are references to pomegranate role players, mostly this page deals with berries. Readers are directed to the Pomegranate Association of South Africa (POMASA) (details under the “Role players” heading) and its website www.sapomegranate.co.za for information on pomegranates.
Read the latest Fresh Plaza overviews of the global market for the different berries and exotic fruit at www.freshplaza.com.
Further reference:
As berries are largely an export crop, challenges include applying the cold chain, the cost of freight and competition from South America. Historically, most berry exports go to the United Kingdom and Europe. Improving market access to the Far East remains a priority.
There are two reasons why South Africa is well-placed to tap into the Northern Hemisphere markets:
In the 2022/23 year blueberries were exported to Europe (62%), the UK (27%), the Middle East (6%), and the Far East & Asia (5%) (FPEF, 2024). In the same year, raspberries went to the UK (54%), Middle East (38%), Far East & Asia (5%), and Europe (3%) (FPEF, 2024).
The exporting of fruit is subject to compliance with certain quality requirements and obtaining a Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) export certificate. Find more information about berry exports in the Fresh Produce Exporters Forum (FPEF)‘s latest Export Directory and in the annual Food Trade SA publication from PPECB (see “Websites & publications” heading).
Find the BFAP South African Blueberry Outlook: 2023-2032 at www.bfap.co.za/south-african-blueberry-outlook-2023-2032
Statistics from BerriesZA suggest that blueberries are the largest cultivated berry in the country. They have also been the fastest growing fruit industry in South Africa. In the past decade, blueberry production increased on average by 32% per annum, the area planted expanding from 350 hectares in 2001, to 400 hectares in 2011, to 2 500 hectares in 2021. Production was estimated at around 27 000 tonnes in 2021 (BFAP, 2022).
Local consumption has grown from an estimated 314 tonnes in 2012 to around 3 200 tonnes in 2021. Demand has remained steady even with increased production.
Around 72% of the total harvest is exported, 12% goes to the country’s fresh market and the remaining 16% is sold for processing.
Negatives recently have been difficult weather conditions, challenges related to South Africa’s ports, and price pressure from Peruvian blueberries entering South Africa’s traditional export markets. Strong cost inflation and price declines are expected to lead to a slow down in the strong growth observed in the past decade.
Source: Bureau for Food & Agricultural Policy (BFAP) Baselines 2022-2031, 2021-2030
Find details of the following directorates on the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) website, www.dalrrd.gov.za :
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has the Alternative Crops Fund (ACF) – R3 million per annum – to boost exports and bolster land reform. Alternative, smaller crops include berries and pomegranates. These crops have high market value and are export-orientated. Alternative crops are mostly water smart and would therefore be preferred crops against the current, and most probable, dryer and even continued drought conditions in the Western Cape and the rest of South Africa. Promoting alternative crops is also one of the proposed actions of the SmartAgri plan. See www.elsenburg.com.
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Further reference:
Finance
Companies and growers
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Refer to websites listed earlier on this page.
