Rhodes canned fruit plant to close

Rhodes canned peaches, pears and apricots could soon disappear from shelves after Premier Foods announced the closure of its R1-billion Fruit Products Western Cape (FPWC) business.

South African media reports say the company cited declining global demand, pricing pressure and rising input costs as the main reasons for the decision, with tariffs imposed by the United States last year also contributing.

Premier Food says operations are “no longer economically sustainable in its current form.”