18 May 2009

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate use

Klein Karoo plums triumph in Europe
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Plums from the Little Karoo region have contributed to the success of the Deciduous Fruit Producers’ Trust’s (DFPT) recent European promotion campaign for South African plums.

In the United Kingdom, the increase in sales of South African plums was on average 10% or approximately £2,6 million, while in Germany seven of the leading supermarket groups recorded growth of between 9% and 40% in plum sales.

These figures were announced by DFPT product manager Stefan Conradie at a meeting of the Little Karoo region’s fruit growers held at the delivery depot at the Landmark in Ladismith.

The campaign, under the banner South African Plums: Beautiful Country & Beautiful Fruit, was funded on an equal basis by the Department of Trade & Industry and the plum industry.  According to Stefan, the aim was to distinguish South African plums from the rest on European store shelves.  “We also wanted to increase our plums’ market share in Europe by ensuring greater awareness of the product and of South Africa as a tourist destination.”

This was accomplished by regarding each plum punnet and promoter as a messenger and drawing the attention of our European customers to the uniqueness of South Africa as well as its plums.

“We addressed all the senses of the consumer. Through a combination of store promotions and publicity in the media, we succeeded in growing our sales in the European market from January to April this year, unlike the negative growth of most other South African fruit within the current economic circumstances,” says Stefan.

Anton Rabe, the chief executive officer of DFPT which represents SAAPA (South African Apple Producers’ Association) and SASPA (South African Stone Fruit Producers’ Association), confirmed that pressure on the consumer’s pocket had slowed down sales in general worldwide.  This meant that high carry-over stocks of most fruit, but especially apples, entailed a significant drop in orders in existing markets.

“The world does not need us – we need the world and must find new markets,” says Anton. With South Africa producing only 16% of the Southern Hemisphere’s deciduous and stone fruit and as leader in the hemisphere only in respect of apricots (mainly from the Little Karoo), “we must remain competitive and consolidate our structures and costs to compete successfully, especially against Chilli en Argentina”.

He confirmed that the plum campaign proved that the South African government should be regarded as a partner at all costs and that networks and relationships should constantly be strengthened.

DFPT Development Chamber Chair Trevor Abrahams has assured producers that the industry as a whole had now positioned itself also to address the needs of emerging producers successfully.  “In the Little Karoo region there are still very few such projects. After an initial lack of provision for newcomers, our structures are now geared with an operational plan to serve emerging farmers and to address their needs,” he said.

PHOTO CAPTION: At the Little Karoo deciduous fruit meeting in Ladismith were (from left): Stefan Conradie (product manager, DFPT), Trevor Abrahams (development chamber), Anton Rabe (CEO: DFPT) and Marius Brewis (Little Karoo regional director: SASPA).

Compiled and issued by KLEIN KAROO Fruit, Ladismith
MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Jan Greyling at 044 203 5236 or 082 556 8778