Langdam Guest Farm in the Koo Valley this week played host to a postharvest day, arranged together with biological crop protection provider RealIPM. It simultaneously acted as a field day on Protea Carmingo and Rubyngo apricot orchards, where Farlis varieties were planted under nets in 2023.

“The growers’ day was attended by more than fifty people, which included marketing and technical people. We attended a morning session where RealIPM presented excellent information on soil and growing conditions. During the afternoon session, we discussed varieties and various improved growing conditions where we can achieve higher production on this exciting apricot range,” says Michael Oosthuizen, International Plant Selection’s representative in South Africa.

He remarks that the expansion of the apricot known for its long and late harvest window and its full red blush (which, he observes, seems to be directly correlated with their handsome red autumnal foliage) is moving into the next stage, and around forty hectares will be added this year on different farms in Ceres, the Koo Valley and other low chill areas.

International Plant Selection is continually adding to the Carmingo and Robyngo ranges, extending the harvest window to both sides of their low-chill varieties and later high-chill varieties.

“When South Africa exports late apricots, there is no competition in the markets from other countries,” he says, adding that proper evaluation, especially independent cold storage trials, is needed for all promising new varieties, because a range of varieties is important.

These apricots are exported by a number of exporters like Icon Fruit, Stems, Delecta, and F1 for different programmes in world markets.

There appears to be a correlation between the full red colouration of these Carmingo Farlis apricots and their pleasing autumn foliage

For more information:
Michael Oosthuizen
International Plant Selection
Tel: +27 83 228 9348
Email: [email protected]