JOHANNESBURG: From his farm in Paarl, Western Cape, Altus Kirsten exports grapes and blueberries to Singapore, a market he describes as “important” despite accounting for only 1 to 2 per cent of his company’s total exports.
The figure has remained “fairly stable” year on year, said Mr Kirsten, managing director of Angon Fruit, a homegrown supplier that started in 2011.
His business is part of South Africa’s expanding fruit sector that has caught Singapore’s attention as the Southeast Asian country pursues its import diversification strategy.
Singapore’s largest retailer, FairPrice Group, has sourced South African fruits for over a decade, with popular items such as blueberries, grapes, apples, oranges and pears showing gradual increases in demand, a spokesperson said.
The diversification of import sources was emphasised as a key pillar of Singapore’s new food security strategy, unveiled by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu last month.
