Keboes Fruit Farms receives Fairtrade Certification
[Article taken from Capespan COURIER – October 2003]
The Fairtrade Labelling Organisation has confirmed the certification of another THANDI™ project. This time it is Keboes Fruit Farms from the Orange River region. The certification will result in the THANDI™ Initiative significantly increasing its volumes at the start of the new season.
Keboes Fruit farms is probably one of the biggest empowerment projects of its kind in the South African Agricultural Sector. When completed it will include a farm with 270 hectares of newly planted vineyards at Raap en Skraap, located about 200 kilometres west of Upington along the Orange River; 130 hectares to be developed during the next three years at Raap en Skraap, and a further 100 hectares closer to Upington at Kanoneiland. There are also water rights to develop a further 230 hectares in future.
Table grape entrepreneur Piet Karsten established Keboes Fruit Farms. Karsten Farms deliver services such as finance, human resources, technical and logistical assistance and marketing in terms of a management contract.
A Workers Trust owns 25%, with 5,4% in the hands of black empowerment partner, who has to option to take over the 21,6% share of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). Karsten Farms is a 50% partner in the venture.
Keboes Farms has a modern, high tech pack house and produces more than 500 000 cartons of high quality seedless grapes during the early part of the season. It employs more than 1,000 people in the peak season.
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