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HORTGRO
About the Company
Our roots date back to the Spring of 1652 when the Dutch East India Company founded the Cape of Good Hope as a refreshment outpost for its passing ships. Deciduous fruit trees were planted to supply ships with fresh fruit. On April 17, 1662, the first two ripe apples were picked at the Cape; they were Witte Wijn Appels. Stone fruit and pears followed. Gradually small farmers started experimenting with other top fruit crops and sold their produce to passing ships.
The South African fruit export industry was “founded” by Percy Molteno in 1892 when he successfully exported a small consignment of peaches to the United Kingdom, that was sold at Covent Garden Market. Hereafter, the fruit export market blossomed and by 1903 more than 22 000 fruit packages were being exported.
