South Africa marks 363 years of apple farming

SOUTH AFRICA – The South African apple industry, on April 17, 2025, marked a special day exactly 363 years since the country’s first apple trees were planted in the Cape.

While the full history of fresh fruit at the Cape may be longer, the diary of Dutch Governor Jan van Riebeeck gives a clear date for apples.

Tru-Cape Marketing, a key player in the industry, continues to protect and promote this legacy through its annual commemoration. “On 17 April 1662, Dutch Governor Jan van Riebeeck made a humble but historic diary entry in the Company Gardens in Cape Town,” the group explained.

According to the diary there was ‘Heavy drizzle in the morning and a strong north-westerly wind blowing in from the sea. Today the first two ripe Dutch apples were picked in the Company’s nursery garden… This type of apple is known as a Wijnappel’.

Since that moment, the apple sector has become a major part of the country’s farming landscape. “Those first Wijnappels picked from a tree just 1.5 metres tall, may have seemed modest in size – but they were the start of something extraordinary,” Tru-Cape noted.

Tru-Cape’s quality assurance manager, Henk Griessel, who is also a veteran in the apple industry, said this date is important for every South African apple grower to remember. He noted that it was where their story began. He pointed out that Tru-Cape’s effort to preserve older varieties in the Heritage Orchard at Oak Valley Estate in Grabouw reflected their ongoing respect for history while staying ready for the future.

With a grower base supplying over 20 percent of South Africa’s apple exports, Tru-Cape reaches 105 markets across the world. Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, said the group does more than just sell fruit.

“Tru-Cape’s role goes far beyond marketing – we’re involved in everything from cultivar innovation, quality assurance, and sustainability to investing in market access and technology that improves traceability and efficiency,” he said.

Pienaar added that the birthday of the apple industry serves as a reminder of the legacy they are responsible for and the future they are actively building.Digital Steps Forward

In a recent step forward, Ceres Fruit Growers introduced a digital platform aimed at improving record-keeping and communication between farms and packhouses. The system was built in partnership with specialists from the Two-a-Day Group. One of the developers explained that the tool helps capture data directly from the orchard, making it easier to respond quickly and share updates across teams.

The celebration of the apple industry’s roots now highlights more than just its history. It shows how the sector continues to grow and adapt, while remaining focused on the farmers, the land, and the fruit that began it all.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.