SAAGA: Fifty years later and still going strong
It's been 50 years since the South African Avocado Growers' Association (SAAGA) was established.
Last week at their research symposium on Wednesday and Thursday at Hotel@Tzaneen, Jurg Bezuidenhout spoke about the history of SAAGA. “Love, like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The same applies to history, in this case, the fifty years of SAAGA’s existence,” said Bezuidenhout.
The events he described during the existence of SAAGA was based on his interpretation. The first avocado orchards were established in the late 1920’s by Harry Ludman with West Indian race seedlings planted in the Durban region.
The fruits were in a poor condition and attracted little commercial attention.
In the 1930’s by Dr. Merensky at Westfalia and by Lanion Hall & Sons, Matafin. From there the Industry expanded rapidly due to citrus which was dying at the hands of a greening disease.
Many years later, in the mid-sixties, the farmers realised that they would have to work together if they wanted to obtain the greatest possible benefits from their investments.
On November 27, 1967, the first meeting of avocado growers was held at Westfalia Estates near Tzaneen.
The farmers discussed the possibility of better communication and the chances of increasing the potential they saw for the avocado on the overseas market. Professor Ballie Kotzé was the chairman at the meeting.
The meeting led to the formation of an “Avocado Growers Export Coordinating Committee” with AJ Cresswell of Koolkat (Pty) Ltd, an export agent, as convener.
In January 1969, the name was changed to the “Transvaal Avocado Growers’ Association”, and thus the organization continued until August 9, 1971, when it became known as the South African Avocado Growers’ Association. With the expanding avocado growth more and more technical challenges were encountered.
Soon it became apparent a forum was required to solve technical issues through coordinated research efforts. The first research committee in 1976 consisted of Jan Toerien, Ronnie Lunt, Clive Mitchell and Willie Pretorius. Professor Kotzé chaired the meetings until he retired as the research coordinator in 1994.
Initially the main centres of research was Randse Afrikaans Universiteit (Johannesburg University), Pretoria University, Natal University, Hall & Sons and Westfalia. Today many more institutions and individuals joined the research work, for example ZZ2, Tshwane University, Agricultural Research Centre and Stellenbosch University.
A few of the main developments during the existence of SAAGA were: Successful control of Phytophthora, pre-harvest fruit and post-harvest diseases. Establishment of a temperature-time management protocol for avocado exports, use of Controlled Atmosphere and later 1-MCP. Cooperation between PPECB, exporters and SAAGA in avocado exports. Development of the firmometer, followed by the implementation of the densimeter and in-line fruit firmness measuring. Oil content norms for avocado fruit.On horticulture- high density planting, tree manipulation, new cultivars and rootstocks. Sunblotch indexing, Phytophthora monitoring of nurseries. Mineral norms for leaves and the tree phonological model. SAAGA had the privilege to be host to the first international avocado symposium under the distinguished avocado pioneer, Jan Toerien, in 1985. Ultra-low temperature for avocado exports. Protocol for phytosanitary pests to the exporting of avocado’s. SAAGA’s philosophy provided a sound base for voluntary cooperation between growers, through the supply chain to the exporters on a national level which seldom has been achieved in the agricultural industry in South Africa.
Bezuidenhout ended off by saluting SAAGA’s personnel and wishing them well for the next 50 years.
