SFA Welcomes New Leaders for its Working Groups

The Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance (SFA) has appointed new leaders for its Working Groups on Statistics and Market Access

The Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance (SFA), the voice of the fruit industry in the Southern Hemisphere, has elected new leaders for two of its four Working Groups, on Statistics and Market Access.

At the Alliance’s recent general members’ meeting at Fruit Attraction, Madrid, members unanimously elected Piero Razeto of the Asociación de Gremios Productores Agrarios del Perú or Association of Agricultural Producer Guilds of Peru (AGAP), and Conrad Burger and Nina Viljoen of the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) as leaders of the Working Group on Statistics.

They will oversee the development and launch, at Fruit Logistica 2026, of the Alliance’s Statistical Yearbook, a new flagship publication for the group that will provide invaluable information on trends and new developments taking place in the Southern Hemisphere’s fruit industry.

Piero, Conrad and Nina will also drive the improvement of the association’s new collection and reporting system for statistical data on exports and production of fresh fruits in the Southern Hemisphere, one of the group’s core activities. Piero Razeto of AGAP and Nomonde Ntloko of Fruit South Africa were elected as leaders of the Alliance’s Working Group on Market Access, where SFA members exchange information and experiences and develop a common perspective on market access barriers.

Piero and Nomonde will steer the group’s discussions, aimed at improving market access conditions for Southern Hemisphere fruit worldwide. Albert Coetzee and Paul Hardman of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), together with Edwin Córdova of AGAP, remain at the helm of the Alliance’s Working Group on Sustainability, while Deon Joubert of CGA will continue leading the Working Group on Logistics.

“We are delighted to welcome Piero, Conrad, Nina, and Nomonde as leaders of our Working Groups, ” said Nathan Hancock, SFA president and CEO of Citrus Australia. “With these new entries, we have a young and dynamic team to guide the Alliance’s actions and grow its role as the representative of the Southern Hemisphere fruit industry. ”

The election of the new Working Group leaders follows the transition of the Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE) to the new Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance in September, continuing the work of the 34-year-old advocacy group. At the heart of the Alliance’s work is the belief that uniting the field is paramount.

“SFA’s aim is to benefit all: our producers and growers, the workers they employ, and the consumers who enjoy our delicious fruits, ” said Jorge de Souza, vice-president of the Alliance, and technical and project manager at Abrafrutas (Brazil).

The Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance has been bringing players in the Southern Hemisphere fruit sector together since 1991, gathering and sharing knowledge and best practices, helping formulate answers to key global trade and production challenges, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire fruit industry. Together, SFA’s member countries export nearly 12 million tonnes of fresh fruits per year, for a total value of over USD 15 billion—or roughly 20 percent of the global trade in fresh fruits. For over 30 years now, SFA has offered a platform for players in the Southern Hemisphere’s fruit industry to face challenges and exploit opportunities together. For more information, visit www.shfruit.org.