Beanstalk Global & The PMA in South Africa – The Pome Industry!

The Produce Marketing Association is a key International trade organisation representing companies from every segment of the global fresh produce and floral supply chain. The PMA helps members grow by providing connections that expand business opportunities and increase sales and consumption. Their mission is to connect, inform and deliver industry solutions to enhance their members’ prosperity.

Each month, we will be focusing on a major area of South African fresh produce and discussing that all with the country’s key industry experts so we can learn and appreciate fantastic South African Fresh Produce.

We are very proud to have our Partner Sponsor KisanHub involved with this month’s Broadcast. They support fresh produce businesses in over 7 different countries managing regional, national or international supply chains. To see how they can assist your business in South Africa CLICK THIS LINK.

We are delighted to announce our second Partner Sponsor. Kantar is the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company. Discover how they help clients understand people and inspire growth, and innovative by CLICKING THIS LINK.

In our next Broadcast we will be speaking to several leading experts on the South African Pome sector. The definition of Pomes is “Fruits that have smooth skin and an enlarged fleshy area that surrounds the core. Examples of pomes are apples, pears, and kiwis.” Join us to find out more about this every growing and exciting industry sector from a South African perspective. Our panel includes:

Awie de Jager is Managing Director of Delecta Fruit; a multicategory boutique fruit exporter, based in Paarl South Africa.  He grew up on a diversified commercial farm in the Eastern Highveld of South Africa. He is a qualified Agricultural Economist who kick-started his career in the banking sector in 2006 as an Agricultural Economist and Business Banker. After spending 2 years on the Commercial side of Automated Fair Collectioning in the UK, he focussed his career on the Fruit Industry in 2010, with his main focus being the sourcing and supplying of UK Retail for 9 years. 

Tracy Davids has been a Researcher at the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) since 2012 and presently manages the commodity markets & foresight program. Tracy completed a PhD in Agricultural Economics at the University of Pretoria and her research focus includes commodity market modelling, market projections, policy analysis, price relatonships, competitiveness, and trade flows. Tracy coordinates the annual Outlook publications of BFAP and has numerous years of experience collaborating with the OECD and FAO on the publication on the global agricultural outlook and in 2016 she authored the special focus chapter on Sub Saharan Africa in the same publication.

Gert Marais, Delecta Fruit. Gert started his career in the Agro-Chemical industry with emphasis on development of environmental friendly chemicals. The natural affinity towards plants and the environment made it possible to progress towards a ten year period during which he worked with POME Fruit growers in one of the important POME Fruit production areas in SA. Travelling the most important apple and pears regions of the world helped him to support growers in orchard planning and management. Optimization of Forelle yield was one of the responsibilities he enjoyed the most. Gert had the opportunity as part of a team of specialists running a production short course in fruit production for many years. During this period, he was also responsible for the quality management at one of the major pack houses where he introduced and implemented the first HACCP approved pack house in SA.

Gert changed over from the technical side of Fruit production to the commercial side of fruit where he worked as Commodity Manager in apple and pears and pears for the last 20 years. He believes he has supplied clients, who have become best friends, across the globe. The commercial side taught him how important diversity in product and cultivars are. Although not his primary responsibility at present, development and preparing new varieties for the market will always be a hobby.

Jacques du Preez is the Trade and Markets General Manager at Hortgro, the deciduous fruit industry’s grower association, and knowledge partner. In this era of protectionism and self-interest with trade dynamics and old trade relationships under fire, Jacques is involved in gaining and securing market access to new markets like China, Thailand & Taiwan in the East and maintaining access to traditional markets like the EU, amongst others. He also facilitates technical trade and market access compliance requirements,
including lobbying, sanitary & phytosanitary regulatory requirements and product standards.

In his current role at Hortgro, Jacques’ focus area is on enhancing co-ordination between industry role players and visiting international supermarkets, importers, and trade to identify and communicate international trends to industry stakeholders. Jacques represents the South African pome and stone fruit industry at various local and international forums and events, he is also the current chairperson of the Pome and Stone Fruit Joint Marketing Forums, as well as a director and chairperson of the AgriHub board.

Xavier Murray, Cape Five Exports.  Xavier started in the horticultural industry after completing a BSc and MSc Agric at Stellenbosch University. His career began on an apple and pear farm in the Elgin area, from there he moved to Kromco Pty Ltd as part of their marketing team. During his time at Kromco Xavier relocated to the Netherlands and then the UK where he was accountable for developing these markets and aligning the business in a more direct route to the EU/UK retail chains. Xavier then Joined Empire World Trade in the UK as Commercial Director and enjoyed the opportunity to better understand the global Apple and Pear supply chains into the UK retail sector. In 2015 he moved back to South Africa and took up his current position at Cape Five Exports.

To watch the Broadcast, just click on the link as below. To listen to the Podcast, just click on the Podcast icon.

To find out more about the PMA in Southern Africa, PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK.

If you would like to become a Partner Sponsor to promote your products or services with this unique International Broadcast series, please either email: info@beanstalk.global  or call +44 (0) 1284 715055.

Share:

More in this series

Furlough – What next?

Returning to Work Post Furlough? Got Staff on Furlough? How Will We All Return to Work in the New “Normal”? Hear from

Beanstalk.Global & MDS webinar

Beanstalk.Global and Management Development Services (MDS) initiated a webinar so current students can find out how MDS can be Instrumental to their

Want us to host your event?

With more than 20 years experience of managing global events, combined with award winning marketing campaign credentials, and an extensive global reach, our team can help you promote your message to the right people, and help you succeed

SPONSORED CONTENT

Natural Complex Plant Biostimulants

Formulated with naturally occurring minerals, producing healthier plants and increased profit for growers

Stay in Touch

Stay curious.  Sign up to hear about Events, Campaigns, News and more

Let's get sociable

© Beanstalk Global - All rights reserved