January 19, 2006
By Rose Setshoge
FOR the second time the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market (JFPM) has been invited to attend Fruit Logistica, the annual global fresh produce fare.
The fare will be held in Berlin, in Germany, from 2 to 4 February. The JFPM forwarded the invitation from Fruit Logistica to the departments of agriculture in Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, for them to choose farmers from their provinces to attend the exhibition.
Six emerging farmers from the three provinces were selected. They will be able to sell their products and gather information from farmers in other countries at the three-day exhibition.
Farmers chosen plant vegetables such as green and red pepper, tomato and cabbage, as well as a variety of fruit. In addition, the Bethlehem Farmers Trust in the Free State will supply apples for the exhibition stand.
In total, 1 500 exhibitors from 64 countries will participate in Fruit Logistica, which has been held for more than 10 years. Including putting their produce on display and on sale, the farmers will be available to answer questions from the public, other exhibitors and interested buyers.
They will also be able to learn from farmers from other parts of the world.
Speaking at the farmers' briefing on Wednesday, 18 January, Bernard Magabe, the market's chief executive, said that the objective of this exhibition was to learn about international produce, make contacts and "most of all bringing the new knowledge to other farmers at home".
The farmers, two female and four male, have been sponsored by the JFPM, Limpopo's department of agriculture and the national Department of Agriculture.
One of them, Ingrid Ditsebe, hails from Vleikop near Randfontein, where she grows fruit and vegetables on her four hectares of land, employing seven people.
"I am grateful for this opportunity and I intend to collect all the information I can find, bring it home and share it with other emerging farmers," she said.
Magabe encouraged the farmers to work as a team and reminded them that they owned the fruit and vegetables - rather than the JFPM - therefore they must represent South African farmers.
The group will leave for Germany on 30 January, along with their produce.
There are 12 exhibition halls at Fruit Logistica. The JFPM is in hall 04.1, at stand c-56, on the red level.
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