The South African pomegranate value chain: challenges and opportunities

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) industry in South Africa is a relatively new industry that started commercial production in the early 2000s and is still considered in its early development stages. Competitiveness throughout the value chain is needed to match up to fast-growing competitors in the southern hemisphere, allowing the industry to scale the challenges and continue to grow. This paper provides a historical overview of the pomegranate industry in South Africa whilst also assessing the global market for this crop. Despite an expected and increasing demand for South African pomegranates, continued industry growth is not inevitable nor easily sustained. A thorough understanding of the challenges within the value chain and opportunities to enhance the income potential of this high-value speciality crop will enable the industry to continue toward the next developmental phase. A value chain mapping of the South African export-orientated pomegranate production was done to define activities and role players, directly and indirectly influencing the structure and flow of the chain. The operational flow was mapped using a qualitative assessment of the respective elements from pre-production and production to harvest.