regulated sources. The idea is to allow market mechanisms to drive industrial and commercial processes in the direction of low emissions or less "carbon intensive" approaches than are used when there is no cost to emitting 
The History
Back in 1996, preceding the chaotic de-regulation of the South African industry, a fruit company was started in a converted neighbourhood garage in Cape Town. That garage belonged to one Michael Johnson, father of Spencer, who founded the greater Lona group with a loan of R30,000 from a fruit farming uncle.
Over the next 5 years Lona grew quickly, expanding not only in vegetables, citrus, deciduous and exotic fruits, but also into tea, wine and dried fruits.
A turning point in the development of the group came with the decision in 2004 to specialize in citrus, while at the same time divesting from all other fruit types. This critical decision has allowed the management of the group to focus all efforts, and capital, as well as their combined creativity, to form the pre-eminent integrated citrus grower - packer - shipper in Southern Africa.
Successful investments have been made in primary citrus cultivation, packhouse and coldstores, new cultivar development, and most importantly, valuable and long lasting relationships with key stakeholders at both farm and market levels.
Lona sources fruit from farms in the Western and Eatern Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Zimbabwe. Owned and managed production is spread over the Kat River and Patensie valleys in the Eastern Cape, encompassing a total of 750 hectares of citrus. Planting programmes to 2011 will take this figure up to 1,300 hectares, of mainly satsumas, clementines, navels, lemons and late mandarins(clemengold, mor, orr and valley gold).The group will pack and sell approximately 4 million cartons of citrus in 2009, into 40 key markets around the world.
Lona is staffed by a passionate and dedicated group of young people, strongly representative of the demographics of the Western Cape, where the company remains based to this day. The 5 directors, Spencer Johnson (Managing), Stefan Lombard (Procurement), Derek Sutton (Marketing), Lammie van Vreden (Technical) and Charl Milleskie (Logistics) together since 1999 and , have grown the company into the premier citrus business it is today.
Lona Cycling Team
The LONA cycling team has had a fantastic year so far, the 2010 season
started with a good result for LONA in the Sani2C, there were two teams entered , with Spencer and his Brother in law Jasper finishing a very respectable 29th place in the men's team category , followed ( at some distance back) by Derek and his brother Barry in 98th , this 3 day stage race is one of the most enjoyable and sort after events on the South African MTB calendar. Both Spencer and Derek used this event as a measurement of their progress for the ABSA CAPE EPIC. Read more
Products
- Grape Fruit
- Star Ruby
- Marsh
- Ruby Red - Easy Peelers
- Satsuma
- Clementines
- Valley gold
- Nova
- Honey gold
- Clemengold
- Clemenor - Normal navel
- Lemons
- Eureka - Valencias
- MidKnights
- Turkey
- Benny
- Caracara
- Lane late
- Deltas - Oranges
- Navel
- Autumn gold
Pack Weeks
< Select a product on the left for more information
| Weeks | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 |
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| Satsumas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clementines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mandarins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Novas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lemons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navels | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cara Cara | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ruby Red | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Star Ruby | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marsh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Valencia |
This variety was created by irradiating seed form the Hudson variety by R. A. Hensz , Texas A & I University , Weslaco, Texas, in 1959. Flesh of the Star Ruby is slightly redder than the Hudson and it remains the most deeply pigmented grape fruit variety yet developed. Externally the rind is as smooth and fine as that of Flame and is generally more blushed, often equal to that of the Rio Red but with a somewhat better background colour . The Star Ruby in almost invariably seedless, rarely having one or more seeds in the minority of fruit. The flesh has high juice content and is as sweet as or sweeter than Marsh and other pigmented varieties.
There are two possibilities of the origin of the Marsh variety : one suggests that it originated as a root sprout from the seedy variety, probably Duncan , around 1880 near Lakeland, Florida, while the other proposed it was of seedling origin from around 1850. First propagated as the variety Marsh Seedless by nurseryman E. H. Tison in 1886 and named in 1890 by C. Marsh to whom the nursery was sold, it is now more commonly known simply as Marsh. 
This is the most recently introduced pigmented variety which , like Star Ruby, was developed by R.A Hensz in Texas from budwood of a Ruby Red seedling. Following irradiation in 1963, a tree with fruit of a more intense red flush colour, designated A & I 1-48, was propagated. In 1976 it produced a bud mutation subsequently named Rio Red and released in 1988. 
The Satsuma mandarin or Unshin Mikan originated in Japan either in the early 1400s as a nucellar seedling from the Tsao chieh mandarin imported from Wenzhow, china, or, as now seems more probable, from the Bendiguanchu mandarin around the mid-sixth centaury AD. It was given the name of the prefecture now known as Kagoshima on Kyushu Island in western Japan. 
There are two suggested explanations of origins of the Clementine. According to one, it resulted from an accidental cross between the common Mediterranean mandarin with pollen from from ana ornamental sour orange known as Granito, first noticed and named by Father Clement Rodier who discovered it in the garden of an orphanage at Misserghin near Oran, Algeria, around the end of the 1890s. However, little credence is given to this possible origin. Instead some authorities believe it is virtually identical to the variety known as the Canton mandarin widely grown in Gwangxi and Guangdong Provinces of China. 
`Valley Gold` is a hybrid of Ellendale and Robin. In 1980, pollen from `Robin` was applied by hand to the stigmas of `Ellendale`. The resulting fruits were collected in June 1981 whereafter seeds from each fruit were extracted and irradiated and thereafter planted in 1982. The variety was first asexually propagated in Addo, South Africa in 1995 when buds were collected from a hybrid seedling and then budded onto `Carizzo citrange` rootstocks.
A hybrid between the Fina Clemantine and Orlando tangelo made by F.C Gargner and J Bellows in Florida in 1942. Although only officially released in 1946, some earlier commercial plantings were made in florida. 
ClemenGold is a wonderfully sweet and aromatic soft citrus fruit.It has a silky, deep orange rind, a fresh scent, and a sweet and juicy taste.
Clemenor is a Late Manderins which was first grown at the Volcanic Research Centre in Israel. The fruit, which has become an increasingly popular variety for planting is a combination of the Temple and Dancy cultivars. The fruit is amost seedless, medium sized with the flesh being tender and juicy.
these oranges have the distinctive feature of having a small secondary fruit embedded in the apex of the primary fruit, and although this characteristic is sometimes found in other oranges and particularly in Mandarins, it is never consistent and varies depending on climatic factors. Generally speaking, navels are the earliest maturing of orange varieties, producing seedless fruit of larger size than most others, with deep orange, easy peeled rinds, and sweet and pleasant flavour. 
Outside the Mediterranean basin Eureka is the most widely grown variety of lemon, forming a major part of the crop in California, Australia and South Africa and significant proportion of Argentina's production. Most of Israel's Lemons are the Eureka variety also.
Of unknown Origin, this variety was first noticed as a slightly earlier maturing tree growing in a Valencia orchard at Addo, Cape Province, South Africa, by A P Knight around about 1927 but its potential was not recognised until the late 1970s. 
Discovered by B Knott near Messina, Northern Province , South Africa, it has superior production characteristics' with similar tree vigour to delta and trees which come into bearing at an early age. Fruit size is large and uniform, earlier maturing. 
This red fleshed navel variety which originated as a mutation of probably Washington was discovered by E.P. Du Charme in 1796 at Heacienda Cara Cara Valencia Province, Venezuela, and introduced to the USA by A.H Krezdorn the following year before being released on 1987 .
Originally discovered on the property of Lindsay Lane of Curlwaa, New South Wales in 1954. The fruit is a modern table variety of orange and has a softer texture and lighter colour than the rest of the varieties. Its high quality makes this is one of the most accepted oranges on the market. The high juice content makes this fruit perfect for juicing and eating.
This South African variety produces a seedless fruit of high quality that resembles the Valencia but matures somewhat earlier. The tree is vigorous and productive. Delta originated as a dooryard seedling. It is thought to be of Valencia parentage and was found in 1952 by A. Smith, Government Entomologist, at Rustenburg, western Transvaal.
PREFACE: The Citrus Growers' Association relies on growers to submit tree census information each year before going to press. Readers should bear in mind that this booklet represents data for the 2009 export season.
DISCLAIMER: This booklet has been compiled with information presently available and in good faith but with the express condition that the Citrus Growers' Association accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage resulting from the use thereof.
Logistics
At Lona we strive to serve our Producers and Buyers alike, therefore, in this ever demanding supply chain environment it is of utmost importance to align our company with the best 3PL partners in the industry. On a daily basis our Logistics Team will monitor and liaise with Producers, Clients, Cold Stores, Shipping Lines, Airlines, Trucking Companies and authorities locally and across the Globe. Although we outsource many Supply Chain functions, there is one thing that sets us apart from many: “Keeping our finger on the Pulse!”
The typical route for the flow of fruit would be from Orchard to Pack House, once “packaged” the fruit would move to a Port Cold Storage facility by rail or truck, be cooled and transported to the many Fruit Hubs across the Globe. It is of utmost importance to be able to track your fruit in every link of the chain this is why our industry relies heavily on technology in this ever changing environment.
Our 3PL Partners:
Cold Storage & Warehousing:
The main accumulation point for the fruit is in a cold storage facility closest to the Port of Exit. It is in these stores that we cool our fruit as the Cold Chain is the most critical part of the fruit’s shelf life. These stores have very advanced IT systems enabling them to keep stock records track every pallet movement within the store, from the time of intake to the time of dispatch. In order to enable us to make up to the minute decisions, we require accurate information on our fruit. For more information on cold storage facilities that we use please visit the following sites:
www.ecsdurban.co.za
www.fpt.co.za
www.comcold.co.za
www.hellmann.net
Where possible, we also load Reefer Containers at source, in the heart of the production areas, this cuts out additional handling of the fruit and this fruit would bypass the cold storage facilities in our Ports and go directly into the dedicated Reefer Port Terminals, ready to be loaded on vessels waiting alongside or to be berthed in a short space of time. This fruit would either move down by Rail or Road and careful planning and timing is of the essence, thus redefining the J.I.T principle.
Modes of Transport:
We make use of various modes of transport: Road, Rail, Sea and Air.
Moving in excess of 50 000 perishable pallets of fruit, during a 9 month period, we need to ensure that we contract the most reliable partners. Partners that are specialists in their field and a team of experts in our company in order to deal with the many variable challenges presented on a daily basis, where the only constant is change. We move fruit from 50 farms, through 3 Ports in South Africa to 34 Receivers in 40 Countries across the World.
You can visit some our partners on the following sites:
News
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IDC Rehabilitates Eastern Cape Citrus Farming
Applying a model that can potentially reconfigure South African rural farming, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has rehabilitated a historically disadvantaged Eastern Cape citrus farming community and created 362 new jobs in an environment riddled with unemployment.
[ Read more ] -
BEE - Lona Citrus and Riverside Enterprises
Lona Citrus and Riverside Enterprises are involved in a joint venture in the Eastern Cape in which twenty emerging citrus farmers in the Kat river region are receiving export support. Two Additional initiatives of this nature are in the pipeline
[ Read more ]
Social initiatives(Lona Foundation)
A word is the smallest free form (an item that may be uttered in isolation with semantic or pragmatic content) in a language, in contrast to a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning. A word may consist of only one morpheme (e.g. wolf), but a single morpheme may not be able to exist as a free form (e.g. the English plural morpheme -s).
Typically, a word will consist of a root or stem, and zero or more affixes. Words can be combined to create other units of language, such as phrases, clauses, and/or sentences. A word consisting of two or more stems joined together form a compound. A word combined with an already existing word or part of a word form a portmanteau.
Word may refer to a spoken word or a written word, or sometimes, the abstract concept behind either. Spoken words are made up of phonemes, and written words of graphemes.