How Safresco supports citrus farmers every step of the way
F
or citrus farmers, producing quality fruit is only half the journey. Getting that fruit safely, profitably and consistently into global markets is the other–and often more complex–half. This is where Safresco has carved out its role, not just as a grower and exporter, but as a long-term partner to fruit farmers.
Safresco has approximately 1 300 ha of planted citrus and two packing facilities in South Africa, 600 ha of citrus, 500ha of grapes and 500 ha of avocados in Peru and a sourcing team in Argentina. The company sell more than 180 000 tonnes per annum, mainly to the Northern Hemisphere countries with Europe and the US being the largest markets. Safresco forms part of Citri&Co, which sells over a million tonnes per annum of fruit, offering a 12-month selling position to customers and a added basket of complimentary products such as melons, water melons, avocados, grapes and more, giving it a stable and formidable footprint in the global fruit market.
For growers, profitability remains closely tied to market access, logistics efficiency and meeting ever-tightening quality standards. Safresco operates at this critical interface between farm and market, helping growers navigate not just how to grow fruit, but how to sell it sustainably.
What makes Safresco distinct is its vertically integrated model. By managing research, growing, packing, exporting and customer relationships under one roof, the company understands the full pressure curve farmers face. This allows Safresco to align orchard decisions with market demand–from variety selection and harvest timing to packaging specifications and destination requirements.
Safresco’s Managing Director, Juan Greyvenstein, mentions that Safresco’s own orchards and packing facilities play a vital role. They allow the company to test new varieties, conduct trials on production techniques and post-harvest handling methods in real-world conditions before extending these learnings to partner growers. For farmers, this means access to practical, proven solutions rather than theory alone. Also the global footprint of the group growing in various countries allows Safresco quick access to new developments, trends and techniques. Apart from growing quality fruit as efficiently as possible and establishing and maintaining good sustainable associated grower relationships, the customer management element is also very important. Safresco’s commercial managers are mostly located within the markets where fruit is sold with a team in Europe, USA and China. Being growers ourselves and present in the entire value chain, Safresco understands clearly the impact of each decision and situation in the supply chain and market situation on the final return to the growers. Safresco places high importance on market intelligence and managing the supply chain carefully.
Safresco’s growth strategy is also deliberately production-focused. By renting additional orchards, investing in netting and entering long-term partnerships with strategic growers, the company is expanding volume without compromising quality. Its recent investment in Botswana’s first commercial citrus operation further strengthens this supply base, offering greater market security through diversification and seasonal balance.This diversification matters. It allows Safresco to manage market commitments more effectively, absorb climatic risks across regions and maintain continuity for customers–all of which ultimately supports better returns for growers.
In an industry where margins are tight and risks are real, Safresco’s role is clear: to bridge the gap between orchard and opportunity, ensuring that farmers are not only producing fruit, but building sustainable, profitable futures.
Because strong farmers don’t just need buyers– they need partners.
