WCCPF and importer step up as mentors for South African students
WCCPF and importer step up as mentors for South African students
South Africa's Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum and Seald Sweet International partnered to provide mentoring, career counseling and professional connections to students from two South African universities.
Suhanra Conradie, chief executive officer of the WCCPF, and Steve Tursi, vice president, business development of Seald Sweet International, are serving as part of the annual Produce Marketing Association Foundation for Industry Talent Pack Family Career Pathways Program. 
Suhanra Conradie, CEO of the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum, and Abdul Kareem Abderoof, a senior studying soil science and horticulture at South Africa's University of Stellenbosch, point in the direction of their homes in South Africa. Conradie is a mentor to Abderoof and will provide professional connections to him as he prepares for graduation next year.The students visited the United States and attended PMA's recent Fresh Summit in New Orleans.
"While both Steve and I have served as mentors previously, this is the first time we have both been paired with students from South Africa," Conradie said in a press release. "For me, it is an honor to help students develop their connections in the agricultural and fresh produce industries. Our students are our nation's future and we must help them develop so we can collectively continue to contribute on a global level."
Abdul Kareem Abderoof, a senior studying soil science and horticulture, will graduate next year from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Tineil Hurter will graduate this year from the University of Pretoria with a degree in horticultural economics.
While meeting first in New Orleans, the students and their mentors remain in contact after returning to their universities. Both Conradie and Tursi have arranged for the students to connect with various professionals in the produce and agricultural industries in South Africa and will be available as they students complete their degree programs.
The South African citrus sold in the United States comes primarily from the region near Citrusdal about two hours northwest of Cape Town; the Northern Cape near Kimberly; and the northwest along the Orange River, near Upington.
The WCCPF facilitates logistical, marketing and sales support coordination of products for its members. Its mission is to maintain and expand its role as the preferred supplier in the U.S. and throughout the world, and continue to be a reliable supplier of safe summer citrus for the United States and all global markets.
