STONE FRUIT
Apricots: an untapped fruit on the market Apricots have been eaten since ancient times. The Romans called it Praecocum – the precious one. The tiny stone fruits are packed with protein, fibre and minerals and have been found to be effective in combating heart disease.
espite apricot’s history, the market in South Africa is relatively small. In 2011/12, the local market sales surpassed 3 000 tons. In 2019/20, it was less than 1 000 tons. Compared to, for instance, peaches and nectarines that sold over 35 000 tons on the local market in 2019/20. The availability of fresh apricots in South Africa is limited due to the very short apricot season, which is approximately only four weeks long. “It stretches from mid-November to
mid-December. The outcome is that supermarket programmes can’t be constantly checked,” explains Charl Stander from Freshness First in Franschhoek. Stander says that a lot of cultivars planted in South Africa need cold temperatures, which South Africa does not always have. Thus, production is limited. Though the local market is small, a lot of apricots are exported. Most apricots grown in South Africa are exported to the Middle East (about 40%), the United Kingdom (30%) and Europe (27%). Germany has become a major destination for apricots.
The Bebeco cultivar.
Imperial is one of the most successful cultivars grown in SA.
Kara van der Berg HORTGRO
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VEGETABLES & FRUIT | MAY • JUNE 2022
