The exclusive marketer of Ozblu blueberries achieved the highest environmental scores from Siza and Leaf audits across all its Southern African farms, with support from World Bank and Dutch development finance institutions
United Exports, the exclusive marketer of Ozblu blueberries, has announced that its Southern African Ozblu farms have achieved the highest score – Platinum Status – in their first independent environmental audits conducted by the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (Siza) and Linking Environment and Farming (Leaf).
As a result, United Exports has become the first blueberry producer of this scale to achieve Leaf certification.
”Achieving this certification underscores United Exports’ unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” it stated.
”United Exports has long partnered with the Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), namely the International Finance Company (IFC is a division of the World Bank) and the FMO (Dutch Development Bank).
”IFC and FMO’s support on social and environmental impact has been crucial to United Exports’ success in reaching these goals,” it explained.
The achievement comes at a critical time when biodiversity is under severe threat.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, global biodiversity declined 73 per cent between 1970 and 2020, highlighting the urgent need for responsible farming practices.
United Exports said that one standout of its dedication to conservation is Nyami Berries, a 253ha farm where 29 per cent of the land lies within the protected Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve.
This integration of agriculture and conservation reflects the company’s holistic approach to farming, it pointed out.
United Exports has spent several years working on its environmental goals, dealing with issues relating to water, carbon, biodiversity, crop protection and specifically those items impacting climate change.
”Achieving the top certification across all our Ozblu farms is more than a milestone – it’s a testament to our belief that farming and environmental preservation can thrive together,” said Roger Horak, founder and executive chairman of United Exports.
”This achievement, made possible through the support of our partners at the IFC and FMO, reflects a journey that began six years ago.
”We are proud to lead by example, proving that sustainable agriculture is not only possible, but essential for the future of our planet,” he added.
