When and why were the Vine Academy and Model Farm launched?
Raisins SA’s board got the idea to start the Vine Academy and Model Farm around March 2020, as part of an effort to ensure the future competitiveness of the raisin industry in the Lower Orange River Valley in the Northern Cape.
South Africa is the world’s fifth-largest producer of raisins, and more than 80% of our output comes from the Orange River Valley.
Tell us more about raisin production in the Orange River Valley
The Lower Orange River Valley comprises 44 000ha of irrigated land, with grape production representing more than 60% of the total production area. The industry is a major contributor to the region’s economy; it employs about 50 000 people and generates approximately
