"South African needs us and we need South Africa. They need our organisation and our concept of a chain from field to shelf. To us, South Africa can represent an opening to new global markets."
We often think of Africa as a poor area where we can only export products, but it is not true. "While there are a lot of poor people in African metropolitan areas, 20% of citizens are very rich. Local produce does not reach these cities and anyway it would not be considered very good. Last week, in Congo, I saw onions sold at $4, potatoes at $5 and nectarines at $15 and a lot of people were buying them. With prices like that, everyone can make a profit. It is a paradox, but the real problem in Africa is excessive wealth."
In order to be a protagonist on the international market, one must be a credible and reliable intermediary and, to do so, an alliance with complementary countries is needed. Just like the Netherlands do.
Vegetables in a South African supermarkets.
"You can only be taken seriously on a global level if you can supply produce 365 days a year. South Africa could represent the ideal ally - it is located in the other hemisphere, it is in our same time zone and container ships can reach it in two weeks. We need to change our mentality and work together with other nations."