get your water act onWith calls to build more dams and others queuing to sink boreholes, the Western Cape Government (WCG) has their hands full in managing water sources and addressing the water crisis. Although the building of more dams seems like a logical solution the Western Cape Government’s Department of Water and Sanitation, said that there are various scenarios that have to been considered before the construction of new dams can be approved. Read about the Water Act here: http://bit.ly/2sliLQB

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 16

28 june 2017

HORTGRONEWSGROWING FRUIT IQ

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ContentsGet your Water Act onSAAPPA Strategic Session: Solid partnerships & shared goalsAgrohub opens at WelgevallenDeputy President visits WitzenbergAgri's got Talent Top 10 announced Choosing The Correct Plum Pollinator

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FPEF issues marketing agreements documentTru-Cape Packhouse Challenge 2017Deciduous Fruit Gala Event – call for entriesUpcoming events on the deciduous fruit calendarHORTGRO Science Technical Symposium reviewFrom the Executive Director's Desk

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AgroHub opens at WelgevallenA new look, new tenants, a new shared vision and a new name. This is the story of the Winter Cereal Building Block 6 on Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Welgevallen experimental farm. The building reopened last week after extensive renovation work, and is now to be known as the AgroHub. Early birds, HORTGRO Science, already started nesting here in January, while CRI joined in June. Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/2sPYQwF

SAAPPA Strategic session: Solid partnerships and shared goals

In June this year the SAAPPA board, HORTGRO management team and other industry role-players came together at Klipbokkop to align the apple and pear producers for the future. The workshop, facilitated by Louis von Broembsen, aimed to clarify the role and activities of the SAAPPA board, by revisiting the principles underpinning its vision and dealt with issues that are of the highest priority for pome fruit growers as a collective. Read more here: http://bit.ly/2sg8o5w

Steenbras Dam - 27 April 2017Picture: capetown.gov.za

FLTR: Nic Dicey, Prof Danie Brink and Anton Rabe at the SAAPPA Strategic Session held at Klipbokkop.

FLTR: Vaughan Hatting (Citrus Research International), Richard Krige (Wintergrain Trust), Dr Tharina Theron (SU senior director: research and innovation), Theresa Sonnenberg (HORTGRO Science, and Prof Danie Brink (acting dean of the SU Faculty of AgriSciences).

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FPEF issues marketing agreements documentNot all exporters and producers use marketing agreements when procuring and exporting fruit. According to a statement by the Fresh Producer Exporters’ Forum (FPEF) this leads to misunderstandings and complaints. In order to try and prevent that, and to assist both parties, FPEF issued a guiding document (Marketing Agreement Template) which can be used by parties involved. FPEF urged producers to make us of this tool.

Deputy President visits WitzenbergDeputy President Cyril Ramaphosa recently addressed a meeting of the Witzenberg Partners in Agri Land Solutions (PALS) in Ceres. PALS is a private land reform initiative established by commercial farmers in the Witzenberg Municipality, in partnership with local communities and all spheres of Government. The aim of the initiative is the creation of an enabling environment for innovative land reform and economic empowering in line with the National Development Plan (NDP). Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/2sQ2hmW

Choosing The Correct Plum PollinatorMost of the commonly planted plum cultivars grown in South Africa require a cross-pollinator to effectively set fruit. In recent years, a better understanding of the biochemical mechanisms involved have led to the development of technologies that enable the determination of compatible cross pollinators on a molecular level. Independent cultivar evaluator Provar, has developed a table which arranges a large number of plum cultivars grown in South Africa, roughly according to flowering window with coloured indicators of genetic relationship. Read more here: http://bit.ly/2sWbJ6Q

agri's got talent top 10 announced

After weeks of waiting, the Top 10 finalists of Agri’s got Talent 2017 has been announced. The competition received a total of 72 entries. After a strenuous selection process finalists from the following farms, cellars and packhouses were chosen: Two-a-Day (Grabouw), Diemersfontein Wine Estate (Wellington), Fruitways (Grabouw), Panorama Farms (Tulbagh), Dreammaker Fruits (Porterville), Ruimsig (De Doorns) and Linton Park Wines (Wellington). Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/2rsJP3k

Subscribe to HORTGRO's YouTube channel for industry videos, our Grootplaas inserts, orchard training videos and more. Click here: http://bit.ly/2qFb0nS

FLTR: Ricardo Plaatjies (Two-a-Day), Riaan le Roux (Diemersfontein Wine Estate), Mbulelo Sikade (Diemersfontein Wine Estate), Mandy Jansen (Fruitways), Veronica Valentyn (Dreammaker Fruits), Lizaan Louw (Ruimsig), Jason Tiras (Diemersfontein Wine Estate), Jason Baartman (Panorama Farms), Charlton September (Linton Park Wines) and Fredelicia Cupido (Two-a-Day).

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Tru-Cape Packhouse Challenge 2017Packing, exporting and now trail running and mountain biking? All in a day's work for staff of the Western Cape deciduous fruit pack houses. In August this year, fruit pack houses in the Western Cape will battle it out, to see who has the fittest staff. The Tru-Cape Packhouse Challenge 2017, an inter-packhouse trail running competition, is set for Saturday, August 26. Teams from Western Cape pack houses will include Two-a-Day, Ceres Fruit Growers, Kromco, and Fruitways as well as a team from event sponsor Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing. Read more here: http://bit.ly/2udFZte

Upcoming events on the deciduous fruit calendar

The Free State Apple Symposium The Highveld Fruit Association / Hoogland Vrugtekwekersvereniging is inviting growers to its annual Apple Symposium. Growers can expect exhibitions to view, good food and well informed guest speakers. More info here: http://bit.ly/2u8vdEy

Agri’s got Talent Gala Event will be held on August 4, 2017 at Nederburg Wines, Paarl. Tickets available at R50 per person from Computicket or any Checkers or Shoprite Money Market kiosk. Buy tickets here: http://bit.ly/2rXaYt0

Prophyta Short CourseThis six day short course is designed to provide an understanding of the horticultural processes of treegrowth and development, scientific irrigation management, nutrition and the execution of goodsoil health and soil science practices and, therefore, aimed at production managers with someexperience in fruit production. More info here: http://bit.ly/2tMrtt4

Irrigation SeminarHORTGRO Science’s Prof Wiehann Steyn will host the Irrigation Seminar on Friday August 18, 2017, venue and further details to be announced.

Deciduous Fruit Gala Event – call for entriesThe Deciduous Fruit Industry’s Gala Event will again take place in September this year, when the industry awards people of excellence that made a difference in their various fields of work. This will be the 42nd time these awards are made. Nominations are currently open and HORTGRO asks all fruit industry role-players to nominate worthy individuals for these prizes. Let’s celebrate our agricultural workers. Read more about the awards here: http://bit.ly/2tjwkEK

Get insights from industry leaders such as Han Fleuren, Michael Zoth, Joan Bonany and more.

HORTGRO SCiEnCE TECHniCAl SyMPOSiUM 2017

game of fruit

“This year delegates were challenged on different levels to think and do differently.” – Hugh Campbell (HORTGRO Science General Manager)

Not even the worst Cape Storm in three decades could prevent fruit growers, industry representatives and researchers from attending the annual HORTGRO Science Technical Symposium 2017 which was held from the 5-9 June at Allée Bleue in Simondium.Hugh Campbell, HORTGRO Science General Manager and the Technology Transfer Advisory Committee Chair said the symposium was an opportunity to expose industry players to new ideas, learn, re-align thoughts and self-evaluate. “This year delegates were challenged on different levels to think and do differently.” For the pre-harvest day delegates time-travelled and assessed mega-trends and it was interesting to see the different changes that took place over the last ten years, he said. From a Hortgro Science perspective, Campbell said that it was good to see that the Orchard of the Future project is strongly aligned with international best practices as explained by overseas experts like Michael Zoth and Joan Bonany. Read the full piece in the summary report.

READ AnD DOWnlOAD THE SUMMARy REPORT here

Those who adapt best will survive – Han Fleuren When Fleuren Nursery came up with the idea of packaging miniature apple and pear trees in personalised gift boxes that could be couriered, they had no idea that their Internet business would be so popular - carving out a new area of business.

Sustainable Intensification: fruit farming for the future – Joan Bonany Global climate and resource challenges are real and will require a new grower mind-set to keep the industry sustainable and profitable.

Nuts & bolts of installing and managing under shade nets – Michael Zoth If you are a grower and wondering whether you should do it yourself, Zoth says DIY should definitely be an option for those who are able and interested in a challenge.

general enquiriesinfo@hortgro.co.zawww.hortgro.co.zatel 021 870 2900fax 021 870 2915

from THe executive director's desk

Here we are – halfway through the year in the blink of an eye. It was an interesting and challenging six months and some of us (read me!) are really looking forward to some hard earned leave. But, the issue is not really what has passed, but rather what the future holds.

So what about the next six months? It will be gone in the blink of an eye too, but it will no doubt be interesting, challenging and at times frustrating. It is said that death and taxes are the only sure things in life, but I am quite prepared to bet a few bucks that the antics and verbal aerobics of our political figures will again reach new heights of ridiculousness and lack of accountability; and new depths of ineptitude, incompetence, lack of integrity and (not) doing what is morally and ethically the right things to do with populist rhetoric being taken to new heights as pressures mount with more and more leaks of state capture.

Let’s not waste time and energy on this. What we do know is that our economy is under severe strain with zero (negative) growth, but the demands and challenges to assist with economic empowerment, land reform and job creation is not diminishing. We need to get this right.

In Afrikaans het ons ’n spreekwoord wat sê: Elke hond kry sy dag... en mag ek byvoeg – ’n brak kry ’n langnaweek! Ek is versigtig optimisties dat ’n paar honde in die komende maande hulle spreekwoordelike alies gaan sien. Dit behoort oor die spektrum van dienslewering van die uitvoerende gesag, tot provinsiale en plaaslike dienslewering te wees. Hierdie land verdien beter leierskap en dienslewering met ’n kollektiewe vlak van gatvolheid ongeag ras, geslag of geloof wat na die stratosfeer neig. Hoor ek dalk ’n “He-he-he” iewers?!

Gelukkig het ons keuses in die lewe. En, kan elkeen van ons help om ’n beter toekoms te skep. My wens is dat ons almal in die land die regte keuses begin maak. Net so het ons die keuse om die politieke lawaai rondom ons te ignoreer en voort te gaan om ’n verskil in en om ons, binne ons privaat- én werksomgewing, te maak om genoemde uitdagings betekenisvol te help aanspreek.My beste wense aan almal wat hulself op ons en ons buurlande se paaie gaan waag. Geniet dit en kom veilig en uitgerus terug. Miskien loop ons mekaar iewers raak.

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." – Charles R. Swindoll

Greetings,Anton Rabe

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Editorial Committee Elise-Marie Steenkamp ‒ elise-marie@hortgro.co.za Esté Beerwinkel ‒ este@hortgro.co.zaDane McDonald ‒ dane@hortgro.co.za