Bananas Bananas grown in South Africa were introduced to Natal in the early 1800’s when Indian people arrived in this country and brought plants with them.. Their knowledge of the fruit ensured the expansion into commercial production over a period of time and Natal was for many years the main supplier of bananas for the country. Although not an African fruit by origin, bananas are grown successfully in warmer areas on South African fruit farms. Fruit farms in Hazyview and Kiepersol region of Mpumalanga followed and only much later – 1960’s – did the Onderberg region follow when large-scale production under irrigation became possible in the region. Fruit farms in KwaZulu Natal no longer enjoy the status of number one supplier as the regions producing bananas under irrigation have taken over the top spot. Today, commercial banana production takes place in the following regions: Onderberg   4088 ha Kiepersol   2608 ha Kwa-Zulu Natal   2541 ha Levubu    1463 ha Letaba      852 ha TOTAL 2004             11552 ha In 1975 their combined area under bananas was 6658 ha A peak was reached in 1991 when 14 781 ha were in production In 2004 that figure had reduced to 11 552 ha. The total production sold on all the fresh produce markets for 2004 was 167 365 tonnes. That is 9 298 056 x 18 kg cartons. See How to Grow Bananas. Source Mike Cordes: Fresh Produce Academy

Melons African fruits are typified by the melons grown in South Africa. Foremost amongst these on the local market are Spanspek, which has an orange tinged flesh; the musk skin is warty and vaguely striped. The sweet melon or honeydew is a variety with a smooth greenish-white rind and sweet greenish flesh. Watermelon is an African melon widely cultivated for its large edible fruit, which has a hard green rind and sweet watery reddish flesh.

Pineapples The origin of the word is Spanish: named pina de Indes, because of its resemblance to a pine cone. The main growing regions in South Africa are on fruit farms in the Eastern Cape, particularly fruit farms in East London area, Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal (Check the following for a list of farmers in the respective areas: Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape). The pineapple plant produces a single “armored” fruit, crowning a central stem. When ripe it should smell wonderful, be brown and slightly tender and a leaf should pull easily from its top. At the peak of growth a huge surge of fruit sugars suffuses the fruit, enriching the flavour. see How to grow Pineapples.

Papayas The large, pear-shaped papaya has a smooth yellow skin, orange flesh and black seeds, and grows in clusters around the slim trunk of tree reaching two and a half meters. Most  commercial plantings are on fruit farms in South Africa in Mpumalanga. The papaya is appreciated most when served fresh. See How to Grow Papayas.