Pomegranates
Fruit Farming in South Africa

Pomegranates in South Africa are either a completely mystical fruit or one that is a fond memory from childhood when bushy shrubs grew in grandparents' gardens. 

©Marinda Louw
Between 2012 and 2018 South African pomegranate exports to the Middle East has grown by 455%.

Since the 2000’s this healthy fruit has evolved into a booming export industry, especially stimulated by recent funding, which opened up new export markets for pomegranates from South Africa.

This section deals with a generic view of the pomegranate industry in South Africa and stresses the need for good soil development prior to planting and the often-underestimated water requirements of this fruit.

Growing Pomegranates

The mature pomegranate is a complex fruit with an edible internal part and a hard skin that contains the colour pigment anthocyanin....more

Harvesting and Processing of Pomegranates

Pomegranates can be marketed whole as fresh fruit or processed and sold as arils, juice or as pomegranate seed oil. Pomegranates are easy to...more

Orchard Management of Pomegranates

The commercial production of pomegranates requires regular manual labour to ensure large healthy fruit of good colour. Management practices ...more

Pomegranate Production in South Africa

Called ‘seeded apple’ or Punica granatum in Latin, the pomegranate spread east and west through the hot, dry regions of India, Asia Mino...more