A giant tree fell when Tru-Cape producer Robert Zulch (69) passed away over the weekend and it is with great sadness that the company Cape honours his as a passionate pome fruit producer, innovator, mentor, and community leader.
"Everything he did, he did to advance the industry he was so passionate about," recalls Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing.
Robert, who hails from the farm Wakkerstroom in the Witzenberg Valley near Ceres, is widely considered a pioneer in the pome industry. Not only was he, at the age of 35, the youngest farmer to be lauded as South Africa's Farmer of the Year (in 1990), but he also found and developed new apple varieties such as Royal Beaut (in 1996) and Fuji Royal (in 2011). Robert also did groundbreaking work with high-density plantings and dwarfing trees.
Buks Nel, new variety manager at Tru-Cape, says Royal Beaut was the most successful of all Gala types. "There was a time when more than 70% of Gala plantings in South Africa were Royal Beaut. I had the privilege to witness him negotiate royalties with Sapo. Robert acted in the industry's best interests and never imposed any marketing levies on Royal Beaut."
Robert was the first farmer in South Africa to install an Israeli computerised irrigation system that could be controlled from a central point.
Conrad Fick, marketing director at Tru-Cape, remembers Robert as "a caring family man and true to his principles". "One of his best characteristics was how much he cared for his farm workers and how important it was to him that they were well taken care of." According to Conrad, technical staff in the industry referred to Robert as a "tree mechanic".
As a board member, Robert served Ceres Fruit Growers (CFG) well during his tenure of over 24 years, says Francois Malan, managing director of CFG. "Robert was a unique person and always one step ahead when it came to the technical aspects of farming."
Buks, who travelled extensively with Robert, will remember his passion for novel ideas and farming practices. "Robert was a big personality in the world of new varieties, rootstocks, and tree training. He was known as someone who could think outside the box. He could be slightly controversial at times, but he was usually right."
Robert once said in an interview: "I must keep planting. If I stop planting and developing, I am dead."
Calla du Toit, Tru-Cape's procurement manager and lifelong neighbour to Robert, reckons he was one of the best fruit producers the industry has ever seen. Tru-Cape offered their sincerest condolences to Robert's wife, Ebeneze (Eppie), his two sons, Johan and Fourie, and his daughter, Aileen, who is Business Control and Market Intelligence Coordinator at Tru-Cape.
For more information:
Lucille Botha
Tru-Cape
Email: [email protected]
www.tru-cape.com