A new range of South African cultivated indigenous citrus and deciduous fruit are set to be unveiled at the upcoming Fruit Logistica International Trade Fair, says the Department of Trade and Industry (dti).
The new range will be launched by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) at the trade fair in Berlin, Germany.
Speaking ahead of the fair which will get underway on Wednesday, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ARC, Dr Shadrack Moephuli said participating in the fair will provide the ARC with a platform to execute its mandate of promoting agriculture and related industries, contribute to natural resource conservation and alleviation of poverty and hunger.
“One of the ways of achieving this is through the unveiling of our newest range of cultivated fruits to international buyers and agents that will be visiting the trade fair.
“Our new cultivated fruits set for debut at Fruit Logistica Berlin range from the Eureka seedless lemon which is the first and only commercial lemon variety, the Valley Gold which is a late maturing mandarin, selected for its attractive appearance and excellent flavour, the ARC Nadorcott citrus fruit which contains less seeds, and the cheeky red plush pear variety,” said Moephuli on Thursday.
The state-owned entity forms part of the 25 businesses and research institutions that will be showcasing South Africa’s fruit and vegetable export capabilities at the South African Pavilion hosted by the dti.
He said the development and launch of the fruit is as a direct response to the demand for provision of fruit that ripens at a time when there is an opening in the market and matures very early or late in the season.
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies commended the council’s dedication and consistency in cultivating globally competitive products. These products, he said, will be instrumental in attracting top-level decision-makers from all over the world to the South African pavilion.
“It is fruit such as these that will set us apart from our competitors, yield new clients and generate solid deals for South Africa from across the globe. It is also commendable that the ARC is able to consistently follow-up on the highly successful Joybells Table Grape Variety which it launched at our pavilion during Fruit Logistica Berlin 2018,” said Davies.
Fruit Logistica Berlin is regarded as the world’s leading international trade fair for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry.
The three-day trade fair covers every sector of the international fruit and vegetable supply chain from production, distribution and marketing, through to the point of sale including global players as well as small and medium sized suppliers from all around the world. – SAnews.gov.za
