AFTER planting a row of pomegranate trees with the intention of harvesting for personal use, a Loxton North family found the Riverland to be the “idyllic climate” for growing the fruit and began growing commercially.
Jane and Paul Wilson, in partnership with another couple, started the business RivPom four years ago, beginning with one block in production.
Over the years, RivPom expanded with the development of a second pomegranate orchard – a total of 20ha together – and a packing shed.
The duo, who were initially wine grape growers, said they found pomegranates easy to maintain.
“Initially it was about water saving because there was so much happening and water was so expensive,” Mrs Wilson said.
“We wanted to grow a fruit that didn’t need much water and after Paul’s dad did a lot of research to see what would be ideal for our region, it was pomegranates.
“Pomegranates are traditionally grown overseas in Israel, Iran and Turkey – dry, hot climates – so we figured it would work.
Paul’s mum had planted a row of pomegranates herself for her own use so from those cuttings, we made our vision come true.”
Mrs Wilson said the original plantings were initially set up in different ways, to see what would work best.
“At first it was all a trial and we had to watch them grow,” she said.
“Eventually we were able to take a look at how much space they needed.
“We trellis all our fruit so being wine grape growers before, we already had trellises set up.
“We learnt that with pomegranates, two wires would be the way to go, so that’s how we set up our new properties.”
Mrs Wilson said before the pomegranates blossom, the orchards look similar to wine grapes.
“When people drive past and see our orchard, they think we have grapes,” she said.
“When the pomegranates come through, it starts off with a little red flower and then develops into balls.”
Mrs Wilson described the length of harvesting as a “small window”.
“We start harvesting at the end of March and go on to early May,” she said.
We had a weird year this year where our old block did the traditional thing and flowered when it would and we would wrap up in a few weeks but our other ones bloomed about two months later.
“We never know what the future of harvesting will hold.
We have lots of fruit out but we don’t know what the turnout will be as the weather plays a huge part.”
Mrs Wilson said there has been a high demand for pomegranates due to “new food trends”.
“At first, we grew them to save water, but now they’re really trendy and look pretty in a salad,” she said.
“We sell to Chapley’s Foodlands in Adelaide and Koch’s Foodlands locally but this season we’ve been inundated with markets in Sydney and Melbourne that want our pomegranates.
“We’ve heard other crops interstate have unfortunately failed and people can’t get them in Melbourne especially… we actually had café workers from Melbourne say they want to drive up and get some.”
Mrs Wilson said pomegranates are “healthy in other ways”.
“Not only is the fruit trendy, research has shown it has many health benefits: antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, and anti-viral,” she said.
“They’re so good for you all round.”
