South Africa’s apple cultivars and new contenders

Apples are a serious fruit crop in South Africa, with roughly half of the nationwide manufacturing destined for export. Over the previous decade, exports have elevated by 40%, pushed by demand in Asia. In 2025, export volumes are projected to improve by 5%, with pink bicoloured varieties accounting for many of the quantity improve.

Whereas the Western Cape stays the nation’s major manufacturing space, smaller orchards have additionally been established and are being expanded in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Free State.

South African varieties

In South Africa, a various vary of apple cultivars is grown to satisfy native and worldwide demand. Golden Scrumptious is particularly well-liked within the UK, whereas Granny Smith is wanted in Northern Europe. Domestically and all through Africa, the candy varieties are most well-liked.

Right here, we take a look at the highest cultivars, the classics, and a few fascinating newcomers.

Gala apples are simply identifiable bicoloured apples with gentle pink stripes, favoured for his or her sweetness and enticing look. Their flesh is creamy yellow with a crisp texture, and so they have a refined floral aroma. Originating in New Zealand within the Nineteen Twenties, mutations had been later developed to satisfy the demand for redder apples.

One such mutation is Royal Gala, which arrived in South Africa within the Nineteen Seventies and, regardless of preliminary hesitation concerning the selection, ultimately comprised 10% to fifteen% of all plantings. Within the early Nineteen Nineties, a superior mutation was found on a farm within the Witzenberg Valley close to Ceres within the Western Cape. Named Royal Beaut, it rapidly gained recognition and have become broadly planted.

One other Royal Gala mutation was found within the Elgin area in 2011. Not like conventional Gala apples, this selection lacked the acquainted stripes and as a substitute had a deep wine-red pores and skin. Named BigBucks, it has change into the fastest-growing selection in South Africa and by 2024, 2,5 million bushes had been planted.

BigBucks has additionally generated a lot worldwide curiosity, and Australia secured plant breeders’ rights to the range final yr.

BigBucks apples have white flesh; a crisp, juicy chew; and a aromatic, intensely candy flavour profile.

Cripps Pink was developed in 1973 by the Division of Agriculture in Western Australia. This enticing pure cross, combining traits of Woman Williams and Golden Scrumptious, sparked a breeding programme and additional propagation throughout second- and third-generation bushes. This was adopted by the event of what’s now generally known as the Pink Woman®, one of the profitable apple manufacturers on the earth.

Handpicked for high quality, Pink Woman apples are valued for his or her rosy blush, crisp texture, and distinctive sweet-tart flavour. The flesh is juicy and yellow-white. Within the Southern Hemisphere, South Africa is the biggest producer of this premium, totally managed selection.

As color depth turns into more and more vital, notably in rising export markets, growers have been responding by planting clones akin to Rosy Glow and Woman in Purple in recent times, which differ from the unique Cripps Pink resulting from their color depth and better color protection.

The historical past of Granny Smith apples dates again greater than a century. Having originated in Australia and planted for the primary time in South Africa in 1919, cultivation peaked within the late Nineteen Seventies by means of to the mid-Eighties.

Common as consuming and cooking apples – and with their distinctive inexperienced pores and skin, agency white flesh and sweet-tart flavour – Granny Smith apples have carved out a robust area of interest with little competitors by way of color and flavour.

Whereas they continue to be among the many prime conventional cultivars in South Africa, the problem for growers is to produce greener apples, as export-quality Granny Smiths should not have a pink blush.

Golden Scrumptious is well-liked not solely in South Africa but in addition throughout Africa and in worldwide markets. Domestically grown Golden Scrumptious has a wonderful repute abroad, the place it is usually recognised because the sweetest. It is a pale inexperienced to golden apple with a aromatic aroma; agency, crisp texture; and gentle, candy flavour.

Extremely versatile, Golden Scrumptious is utilized in baking and cider manufacturing and might be saved for as much as a yr. It was found in West Virginia, US, and launched into South Africa in 1930.

Below the correct weather conditions, and in sure areas, Golden Scrumptious apples can develop a refined pink blush.

A basic and native favorite, Starking apples are red-striped with cream-coloured flesh and have a juicy, candy style. A US cultivar and a mutation of Purple Scrumptious, Starking was launched to South Africa within the Nineteen Forties.

One other mutation, Topred, arrived within the nation within the early Nineteen Seventies. With a uniform deep pink color, almost-white flesh, and crisp texture, it is usually candy and really juicy.

Th Fuji apple was bred in Japan in 1939 and got here to South Africa within the Eighties. It’s a gentle pink selection, described as ripening with a Turkish delight blush. With a really candy and gentle flavour, low acidity, and dense, creamy-coloured flesh, many apples of this part-red selection had been initially downgraded resulting from market demand for pink apples. Mutations have, nonetheless, rescued the cultivar.

The South African Plant Enchancment Organisation Belief developed a full-red Fuji mutation known as Fuji Royal, and plant breeders’ rights had been granted in 2018. The organisation says this selection exhibits promise as an improved pressure to ship higher color and obtain extra market share.

Native Fuji apples are the preferred cultivar exported to China and are additionally extensively grown there.

These distinctive, bright-yellow apples with an orange blush have a crunchy texture and candy, tangy flavour paying homage to quinces, mangoes, and pears. The flesh is white to ivory. One other distinctive trait is that they don’t flip brown as soon as minimize open.

This non-GMO cross between Golden Scrumptious and Topaz was bred within the Czech Republic and, in 2014, Dutoit Agri signed a licensing deal to develop it in South Africa.

Kissabel® apples are a novel selection that includes naturally pink to pink flesh, a trait achieved by means of years of cautious pure breeding first began in France by crossing wild red-fleshed apples with high quality industrial varieties.

Developed as a part of the worldwide Revolutionary Farmer Organizations for Analysis and Extension Growth breeding programme, and following its success in Europe and North America, trials are actually underneath means within the Southern Hemisphere. Australia is already commercialising the cultivar, whereas Argentina and Chile are within the early manufacturing phases.

Domestically, Dutoit Agri started cultivating Kissabel in 2023. The primary semi-commercial harvest in 2024 confirmed promise, with color improvement notably robust in hotter rising areas. The corporate continues to check and refine varieties.

At the moment accessible within the Western Cape for a restricted interval from choose retailers, the industrial launch has been slated for 2026. With rising curiosity in premium and visually distinctive fruit, the Kissabel might supply new alternatives for growers.

With an intense ruby-red color, candy ‘zing’, and a agency, crunchy texture, Sassy is one other new addition to South Africa’s cultivars. The apple hails from New Zealand and is grown regionally in Ceres. It has an unmistakable asymmetrical conical form and is a hybrid of Scifresh, Fuji, and Sciros varieties.

Whereas provide is proscribed as a result of the orchards are younger, Sassy is garnering consideration, and volumes are anticipated to develop as bushes mature and plantings improve.