AfriFruta builds and manages fruit supply chains in Inhambane, Mozambique. Through direct sourcing, extension and buying stations, AfriFruta has reached over 2,000 local smallholder farmers, connecting them to local and international markets. It also provides technical support to ensure standards are met, and actively engages local women in agriculture. Over 80% of its farmer base are women.

In the wake of the COVID pandemic, an opportunity arose that would enable the business to preserve existing jobs and support farmers. With increased demand for dried fruit in Europe, the company secured new weekly orders of 6.5T, creating the need to source fruits from further afield, venturing into other provinces like Gaza and Sofala

Initially, the farmers would deliver the fruits to the factory, but with the government restricting movement to contain the pandemic, farmers could not transport fruits to the factory in Inhambane

AfriFruta Managing Director, Jaco le Roux said “We needed to procure a refrigerated truck to source and transport fruits from farms that are far from the factory. In addition, the truck enabled us to source more fruits from the farmers and to transport the dried fruits to the port in South Africa, for shipment on time. The AECF helped us secure this truck, ensuring workers did not lose jobs while providing a source of income for smallholder farmers.”

The AECF provided AfriFruta with emergency funds to procure the much-needed refrigeration truck as well as making sure the US$ 450,000 processing facility that the AECF helped set up maintained biosafety standards in line with the government’s COVID containment regulations.

AfriFruta’s swift response saw the company increase its sales by 94% and achieved profitability for the year, with a positive knock-on effect for the predominantly female workforce and smallholder networks that supply mangoes, bananas, pineapples, papaya and coconut.

“We needed to procure a refrigerated truck to source and transport fruits from farms that are far from the factory. In addition, the truck enabled us to source more fruits from the farmers and to transport the dried fruits to the port in South Africa, for shipment on time. The AECF helped us secure this truck, ensuring workers did not lose jobs while providing a source of income for smallholder farmers.” reflects AfriFruta Managing Director, Jaco le Roux.