Low-chill Blueberry Production In Limpopo

By securing planting rights to varieties bred to withstand warmer climates, Rosle Boerdery’s Charles Rossouw has become a leader in blueberry production in South Africa. Lindi Botha reports.

- Lindi Botha

Hailed as a super food, blueberries are in growing demand worldwide, and to meet this need will require a significant boost in supply and innovation.

Blueberries normally require a high number of chilling units. In South Africa, blueberry farming has therefore been limited to colder climates, with 60% of production taking place in the Western Cape. However, in 2006, Charles Rossouw, owner of Rosle Boerdery in the Loskop Valley of Limpopo, saw an opportunity to plant blueberries on a large scale in this warmer climate after investigating low-chill varieties.

TAKING THE LONG VIEW

Rosle Boerdery has 800ha under production, of which 700ha are planted to citrus. The remaining 100ha were under grapes, and it was this land that Rossouw targeted for blueberries after realising that grapes were not the ideal crop for his farm.

“This is a summer rainfall region and it receives around 500mm annually. The last few years, however, have seen less rain and a good exchange rate, so the grapes have made money, but over the long term they’re not very profitable. Also, the cost of labour with grapes is incredibly high as it involves tending the vines, harvesting and packing.

“With blueberries, I have the same spraying programme as with grapes, but I start spending money on labour only once the harvest starts. Also, my exposure to risk is lower because when the rainy season starts I’ve already harvested the bulk of the blueberries.”

As traditional blueberries would not have done well in the higher temperatures of Groblersdal, Rossouw has purchased the rights to grow the ever-green Australian OZblu varieties, which have been specifically bred to forego dormancy and flourish with low chilling requirements.