Berries ZA wants to be a major market force
THE SOUTH African Berry Producers Association (Sabpra) has relaunched as Berries ZA as it goes on the offensive to create jobs and become a major force in the global market.
Berries ZA has been mandated to build the South African berry brand domestically and abroad. South African blueberries have a reputation as being of the highest quality in the world.
Berries ZA chairperson Justin Mudge said yesterday that by 2024 the organisation aimed to have increased production to 62 000 tons and exports to 44 000 tons, which would translate into 3 000 new jobs for South Africans in the berry industry.
Recent industry data showed a significant increase in South African blueberry exports for the 2020/21 season despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic last year. Blueberry exports increased by more than 27 percent, growing from 12 221 tons to 15 636 tons last year.
The growth of the South African berry industry over the past five years is one of the country’s great agricultural success stories. Exports have grown from 1 792 tons in 2015 to 15 636 tons in 2020. This growth has supported the rapid increase of employment in the industry from 1 000 workers in 2014 to more than 8 000 in 2019.
In recognition of the industry’s growing strength on the world stage, the industry has relaunched as Berries ZA. The association said it believed this marked an important new chapter in the SouthAfrican berry success story.
Whereas Sabpra was primarily a producer organisation, Berries ZA included role players along the entire berry value chain through its Joint Marketing Forum (JMF). The JMF brought together all these stakeholders to tackle industry problems, and to collaborate to ensure the best possible results for the industry as a whole.
In another victory for South African berries, one of the large commercial exports was awarded two Superior Taste Awards earlier this month.
Mudge said that, as part of the launch of the new entity, the organisation would embark on a road show throughout the country meeting with member growers and breaking down the details of the new mandate of the organisation.