Based in the Koue Bokkeveld, close to the town of Ceres, De Keur is taking advantage of the land that has been blessed with extremely fertile soils. Famous for its production of deciduous fruit, this region and this company are hugely important to the South African fruit export industry.
South African fruit exporters are experiencing differing fortunes right now. The economic landscape has had conflicting effects and the ongoing work of the government and private sector to open up new international markets is providing new opportunities for business.
Following the global economic slowdown of 2009, South African farmers experienced a challenging few years because of lacklustre demand in local and international markets and less consumer spending power. For commercial farmers, the weakening Rand has caused its fair share of problems, making technology and machinery from international suppliers more expensive but making South African products more attractive to international customers.
The continuing development of the relationship between the USA and South Africa through the AGOA (African Growth and Opportunities Act) has started to bear some fruit, literally, after the first consignment of litchis was sent to America. Assistant US trade representative for agricultural affairs and commodity policy, Sharon Bomer said recently that the US was ready to help SA as there is huge demand for avocados, mangoes and other fruits to go along with wine, macadamia nuts and citrus fruits that are already being sold in America. “We are fully on board to work with SA to find a way forward to make sure that the food safety and animal and plant health issues are adequately addressed, and we are making progress,” she told BDlive.
The SA government are also working hard to increase fruit exports to Russia after the industry saw a 15% decrease at the end of 2015 – this effort has been welcomed by Russia who have been feeling the effects of sanctions from Europe and the West.
Europe remains one of South Africa’s most important trade partners and the export of fruit here is big business – especially to the UK which has long been a big importer of SA products.
One company that has particular expertise when it comes to successfully exporting to Europe is De Keur. This family-run business has been supplying apples, pears, nectarines, peaches and plums, and onions and butternuts to local and export markets for decades.
Founder, Charl (Tippie) du Toit, acquired the farm ‘De Keur’ in the Koue Bokkeveld for £9600 on March 28th 1934 at a public auction. The transaction was completed under the stunning old oak trees that can still be found on the farm today. As a pioneer of ethical farming, Tippie passed on excellent practices and principles to his sons, Charl and Gys who developed the farm into the industrial operation that it is today, focusing all their effort on producing quality fruits.
Activities take place across four main farms (De Keur, Rocklands, Leeuwrivier, De Hoop/Môreson) and a packing facility in Ceres.
“We are committed to supplying safe, quality assured, fresh and wholesome fruit that meet or exceeds our customer’s requirements and importantly comply with industry standards,” the company says.
“We pride ourselves at being at the forefront of technology and agricultural science, as it’s paramount to increasing productivity and providing sustainability for the long term.”
TECHNOLOGY
Without today’s modern technology, the business of fruit farming would not be worthwhile from a commercial perspective. The traditional methods of picking and packing by hand, in the hot and tiring weather, are now a thing of the past and at De Keur, the focus is very much on staying at the forefront of the industry when it comes to new technology that can help the business grow.
“Our focus is to pack the right quality fruit, in the best and most effective manner, following the cold chain regime which ensures the longest shelf life possible, in order to suit the needs of the consumer,” the company says.
“We also strongly believe in staying up to date with new innovations and technology in the fruit packing industry. Equipment is continually updated as new technology becomes available to increase efficiency and improve fruit handling. Multiple lines also give us the flexibility to pack differing varieties and package sizes simultaneously.
“We keep up to date with the latest agricultural technology and best practices by engaging with specialists in key areas to ensure that we address the short and long term needs of our business. The aim of all technology is to transfer information effectively throughout the business in order to maximise productivity, efficiency and above all, quality.”
Technology forms such an important part of the process so De Keur is investing at all levels and that includes pest control and food safety – two of the most significant areas when exporting.
“We rely on a scientific pest management system, which in conjunction with expert consultants, allows us to minimise disruption to beneficial organisms, such as bees, while protecting our produce against harmful ones such as codling moth and scab.
“We manage and monitor the cold chain from the farm all the way to our clients, so that we can guarantee a quality product to the end consumer,” says De Keur.
THE CHALLENGE OF THE DROUGHT
Even with the most advanced equipment and technology in the industry, there are certain things that cannot by countered and one of them is a drought.
South Africa has experienced terrible droughts in recent months – the worst in 30 years according to the SA weather service – and the country is not out of the woods yet as droughts are expected to continue as a result of the weather effect known as El Niño.
Ceres and the Koue Bokkeveld valley has had its fair share of problems, receiving just half of the annual rainfall with the region’s most important dam, Koekedouw Dam, at 35% of its 17.2 million cubic metre capacity at the end of November.
Most fruit farmers in Ceres have been able to manage but are now having to be strategic with water usage. “For optimal production of pome fruit, farmers in the region between Ceres and the Koue Bokkeveld and Witzenberg Valley need 8000m3to 9000m3of water per hectare from mid-September to the start of May. With dam levels so low, farmers only have access to between 40% and 60%. In effect, water has to be managed carefully to reduce the impact of a possible supply shortage,” said Louis Reynolds from Fruitful Crop Advice.
Sappi recently announced that it had seen an increase in demand for export packaging in its fruit department and with the resurgence of citrus fruit exports to parts of Europe and the growth of demand from the US, this is going to be an important time for the industry and any slowdown because of drought, or anything else, will be seriously detrimental for business.
FRUITFUL FUTURE
Already a big supplier to European markets, De Keur is positioned strongly for the future, despite the local challenges of drought and economic instability. The company calls huge international clients including Tesco and Marks & Spencer its customers and thanks to accreditation from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), Carbon Footprint, the Ethical Trading initiative, Global G.A.P and SIZA, it has an excellent base from which to launch into new markets.
With Russia and the USA both opening up opportunities, and with growing local and European markets, the current set of du Toit leaders have a fantastic opportunities to grow this fantastic organisation.
“In recent years a number of the ‘next generation’ has joined the business fulfilling a number of key roles from general management, production and marketing to packaging and administration. This generation is proud to be associated with the De Keur legacy that their grandfather Tippie began in 1934, and they look forward to nurturing the legacy for generations to come,” the company concludes.