Cherry breeding in Africa provides opportunities to meet growing demand
January 25, 2022 | By FreshPlaza.com
Since its inception in 2001, IFG has focused on breeding table grapes and cherries that provide an incredible eating experience. The company is headquartered in Bakersfield, California, but wants their varieties to be enjoyed by consumers around the world. “Right from the start of the company, IFG focused on breeding cherries for warmer climates,” says Alwyn van Jaarsveld, International Cherries Commercial Manager. “With that strategy in mind, we brought our first cherries to Africa more than ten years ago, knowing that developing new varieties takes time,” he added.
The logical place to start was South Africa, as it has a wealth of climate zones, an abundance of resources, infrastructure, and labor, as well as an entrenched fruit industry. “South Africa’s fruit industry not only supplies locally but also regionally and abroad.” While IFG’s licensed nursery is based in the Western Cape, varieties are being trialed from the Western Cape in the South to Limpopo in the North.
