Hishtil Ltd. has signed a contract to establish a nursery in South Africa. Hishtil R&D and overseas projects director Gad Elasar said the nursery was a joint project with local entrepreneurs in the heart of South Africa’s vegetable growing region in the north.
Elasar said the nursery would cover 12.5 acres, and provide vegetable seedlings for local farmers, with an emphasis on marketing to retail chains and for exports. Later, more nurseries will established along South Africa’s Indian Ocean coast.
Hishtil has five nurseries in Israel, and five more in Italy, Greece and Turkey. All of the company’s foreign nurseries were jointly set up with local parties, and market the company’s products to local farmers. Founded in 1974, Hishtil raises seedlings up to an average age of six weeks, thereby saving farmers risks during the critical planting stage, when seedlings are most vulnerable to disease and damage.
Since Hishtil was founded, most Israeli farmers have switched to buying seedlings, instead of planting directly in their fields. This same process is now underway in countries where the company is active.
In recent years, Hishtil has been raising hybrid vegetable seedlings with stronger roots. These seedlings are also disease resistant, which means they need less pesticides.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on April 25, 2006
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