The fruit industry continues to show great resilience in adapting to the changes needed to sustain its longterm viability, says John MacDonald, Safmarine southern Africa reefer manager. Constant challenges in traditional markets have forced perishable exporters to look for new markets. “Certain sectors in the fruit industry like the grapefruit sector will have to rethink their strategy as demand has dried up for this fruit variety and this has often resulted in an oversupply of markets and poor prices.” Apple exporters are constantly on the look-out for new markets to decrease exposure into one key market like Europe, he says. “Currently Africa is a real hotspot for future growth from this sector.”
