Where membership was only open to primary producers when South African Pecan Nut Producers Association (SAPPA) was launched, other role-players and stakeholders throughout the supply chain, such as nurseries, processors, exporters and input suppliers, have been welcome to join SAPPA since the switch to a non-profit company in 2012.
South African Pecan Nut Producers Association (SAPPA) in 2020 had over 700 members.
Statutory levies are charged based on the tonnage of pecans delivered to processors and exporters, who pay the levies over to South African Pecan Nut Producers Association (SAPPA). Producers who pay levies qualify for membership, whereas non-producing stakeholders and farmers with trees that are not yet in production, have to pay an annual membership fee.
To ensure countrywide representation, the country has been divided into nine production regions, with a director elected and representing each of these regions.
South African Pecan Nut Producers Association members are informed of what is happening in the industry via email, SAPPA’s website, an annual general meeting which is rotated through the production regions, as well as regional information days. The University of the Free State, the industry’s main research partner, also each production region each year, during which they share information about the latest trials.
SAPPA has published a regular newsletter since the association was started, which after 34 editions was replaced by the SA Pecan magazine in August 2004. SA Pecan magazine is released three times a year, in Autumn, Winter and Spring/Summer and is available on the SAPPA website.
South Africa is the third largest international producer of pecan nuts, but volumes are quite insignificant as the United States and Mexico,...