skip to Main Content
Safj Sa Fruit Journal Cri Ipm Disease Featured
October / November 2023

Production, IPM and disease management workshops

SA Fruit Journal: October / November 2023

During May and June CRI presented its annual production, IPM and disease management workshops nationwide. By Coenraad Fraenkel

Six production regions (Letsitele, Groblersdal, Nelspruit, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern and Western Cape) saw delegates attend the latest round of production, IPM and disease management workshops.

This year the traditional stand-alone workshops (IPM-DM and production) were combined and took on a new format, incorporating the economics of citrus production. A key focus for the Southern African citrus industry is the implementation of a dedicated integrated pest and disease management strategy, a topic well covered during the workshops.

The golden thread throughout the various talks presented by the researchers and extension personnel of CRI was the current challenging environment in which the industry finds itself, and sustainable solutions to adopt for long-term profitability.

"Stop bragging about your tonnage and start focusing on the profitability of each orchard," cautioned one speaker discussing the benefits of pruning and crop manipulation. Financials from several case studies proved that lower yield per hectare could be significantly more profitable than high yields.

The main drivers for profit are the desired fruit size, the price negotiated for the fruit, and a high pack-out percentage. Unlike what was historically believed, high yield per hectare doesn't necessarily translate into profitability.

The workshops were well attended, and the overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

Read More
Back To Top