Gauteng Smallholder Gauteng Smallholder August 2017 | Page 7

MAILBAG Networking: How we did it in the 60s S ir ~ Apropos of having a contact network for marketing produce, we fruit farmers who packed our own apples and pears in the 1960s and 70s had a similar system. I think it was set up by the Deciduous Fruit Board (DFB). The problem was that as early as mid-winter we had to estimate the size of the crop by judging the number of Sandton CBDs little green birds Sir ~ I was interested to read about the little green birds in your latest edition. A few weeks ago I noticed a flock of them in the Sandton CBD in Katherine St and assumed they were just someone's escaped cage birds. Seems as though they're travelling further afield. Juanita Orpen Midvaal fruit-bearing buds on the trees. On the basis of the estimates, the DFB booked shipping space, including the days on which the ships had to be berthed alongside the pre-cooling chambers to load the cargo. If we under-delivered the quantity of cases we had booked, we were penalised. We could also not deliver more than our quota that we had booked. Meantime, the fruit was getting ripe on the trees… So a system was set up by which farmers could swap quota. If I was going to be short of my weekly quota, you could take it up to cover your over-production that week. The contact was a lady, I think a farmer's wife. She maintained a list of all producers, their estimates of their crops, and what their Deciduous fruit exports in the 60s and 70s: Blue Star Line’s refrigerated revised weekly requirements ship Rockhampton Star leaves Cape Town laden with a cargo of apples and pears, co-ordinated by a farmer’s wife and her telephone. The Editor welcomes your letters, comments and opinions, but reserves the right to edit and shorten as necessary. Senders’ names and addresses must be included. Afrikaans letters will be translated. Post mail to: Letters, PO Box 14648, Bredell 1623 or fax [phone] or e-mail [email protected] 5 www.sasmallholder.co.za Continued on page 7