South African Summer Citrus Leveraging Social Media

PHILADELPHIA, July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Strike a creative or interesting pose with oranges or Clementines from South Africa and post it on the South African Summer Citrus Facebook page www.facebook.com/summercitrus during July and you could win a cash prize. That's the message from the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum (WCCPF), the citrus growers from South Africa, who plan to export about 40,000 tons of citrus to the U.S. this summer.

"We launched our Facebook contest page for July and have seen a steady increase in traffic to the site," says Gerrit van der Merwe, chairman of the WCCPF. "It is concurrent with our connection with U.S. Youth Soccer tournaments this month. We think the regional and national tournaments linked with the contest, combined with grocery store promotions across the country will continue to raise consumers' preference for South African Summer Citrus."

Consumers across the country can win up to $350 by posting photos of themselves in creative poses or against interesting backgrounds with the fruit. Participants enter the contest by liking the page www.facebook.com/summercitrus, submitting their photos and asking friends to "Like" their photo posts. Those with the most "Likes" will win the $200, $100 and $50 cash prizes. The contest ends July 31; winners will be announced by August 10.

"Make the most of your own creativity and surroundings eating or cooking with or displaying our Summer Citrus, and submit your photos as soon as possible," says van der Merwe. "You can submit as many entries as you wish and encourage your friends to 'like' your entries."

Van der Merwe added that 2011 marked the fourth year of the WCCPF's sponsorship of U.S. Youth Soccer, the third at the national level. "Soccer and citrus are naturals. Players, coaches and Moms recognize the fruit's refreshing benefits and slow digestion for that extra energy they need.  Adding Facebook also was a natural as so many are regularly on Facebook."

South Africa is the world's second largest exporter of citrus, producing 60 percent of all citrus grown in the Southern Hemisphere. The fruit exported to the U.S. comes mainly from the region between the towns of Citrusdal and Clanwilliam, about two hours northwest of Cape Town, and the Northern Cape, near Kimberley. The WCCPF is a consortium of about 350 South African growers eligible to export summer citrus to the U.S.

For more information, visit www.summercitrus.com or find South African Summer Citrus at www.facebook.com/summercitrus.

SOURCE South African Summer Citrus