South African nectarines
South Africa’s nectarine harvest season is in full swing, which is great news for the consumers who enjoy these sweet and juicy fruits on those warm summer days of South Africa. Have you ever wondered about the name, origin, and production of these delicious fruits?
The name nectarines date back to about 1600AD when they were first named in English. They derived the name nectarine from the Greek word “Nektar” which means “Drink of the God’s” (refers to the sweetness of the fruit) in both Greek and Roman mythology. The nectarines are thought to have been developed about 4000 years ago in China when the domestication of peaches started.
In South Africa, the harvesting season for nectarines is from October to March, depending on the variety and region, and for a short period during April. The South African production season makes it possible to produce and export to countries in the Northern Hemisphere when the production is low in those countries. Nectarines are grown mainly in the Western Cape, which is considered being one of the richest fruit growing regions in South Africa. They are also grown in the Northern provinces of South Africa.
Photo by Lucentlands Media
A tree census by Hortgro in 2018 showed that Ceres accounts for almost half of the production of nectarines with large volumes also produced by Tulbagh, Wolseley, the Klein Karoo, Paarl, and the Northern provinces. The total production of nectarines in South Africa is approximately 30000 tonnes, of which 9352 tonnes are exported. The industry’s farm employment comprises 2541 labourers and 10165 dependants.
The variety which is planted the most in South Africa is Alpine, followed by August red. There are other varieties like the Royal Ruby, May Glo, Luciana, Fantasia, Sunburst, Skye, Tiffany, Artic, Wolf Sunlite, Garofa, Margaret’s pride, Crimson Glo, September Bright, Summer Fire, Fire Pearl, Garcia, and Summer Right.
Article by Jacques Burger
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