by Olwetu Batyi | Jun 25, 2021 | atp1
Al-Mawashi reveals developmental plans for EC farming sector
EASTERN Cape farmers of various commodities are set to benefit grandly from the international trading stage facilitated by the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform and Al-Mawashi South Africa.
Al-Mawashi is a trade and exporting company from Kuwait that began trading in livestock with Eastern Cape farmers in 2019. More than hundred thousand livestock have been shipped to Middle Eastern countries from the East London harbor since Al-Mawashi struck a deal with local farmers with the livestock exported mostly being sheep.
Today [June 23] the company finalized the loading of 56000 sheep and 1000 cattle destined for Kuwait and MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nonkqubela Pieters joined the delegation and witnessed the loading of the herd of cattle at the East London harbor.
With the Eastern Cape being known as the capital of livestock, the international market has opened a channel for both fully-fledged farmers and the developing ones who have been struggling to secure a stable market for their animals.
The trade between Al-Mawashi and Eastern Cape farmers has been around livestock but Al-Mawashi South Africa managing director, Ilyaas Ally has revealed their grand developmental plans for farmers of different commodities in the province.
In an engagement session with MEC Pieters ahead of their shipment, Ally revealed that the Middle Eastern countries have shown interest in locally produced food like vegetables, fruits and honey among others.
“We have been exporting live and chilled meat, but taking into consideration that there aren’t much farmlands that side, 90% of their food is imported. And we are exploring to diversify with the above as we have seen the growing interest and demand for them,” said Ally.
He added that they will be embarking on a drive to uplift developing farmers across the six districts in the province. This done together with Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, ECDC and ECRDA
The partnership will see Al-Mawashi signing offtake agreements with two emerging farmers each district and this will help farmers to access credit as the deal will guarantee them a sale of 3000 livestock a year.
“There is a lot we are planning for the Eastern Cape and everybody is set to benefit and we will be going on a roadshow soon if the covid 19 regulations allow,” he said.
In each shipment of the livestock, Al Mawashi spends at least R150 million in the province and some of the beneficiaries include livestock feed producers as the company utilizes 30 000 tons of feed in its four shipments a year.
MEC Pieters pledged the department’s support to the strategic partnership and said the interest shown by the Middle Eastern countries to Eastern Cape agricultural commodities would spark an interest in diverse farming and make locals realize the value of land.
“Government continues to encourage people to work the land and actively partake in local and international trades. These developments greatly contribute in growing the economy of this province,” said Pieters.
by Olwetu Batyi | Jun 25, 2021 | atp1
Empowering Youth in Agriculture
As we draw a close towards the youth month , the departmental special programmes unit’s youth desk coordinator Ms Vuyo Roloma working together with sister departments and government agencies like NYDA converged in Western district to engage and inform young people about the opportunities available in the various organisations
Welcoming the delegates, Mr Nyokana District Director in the Western Region said ” The department continues to support young people and this is evident through the formation of youth in agriculture (YARD) in 2016. This has created a platform for young people to make their mark in the agricultural space by attaining awards from Provincial and National Competitions.
Mrs Manitshana, Director for Special program advised the youth to apply in the recent advert issued by the department.
” Through the National grant funding like CASP for infrastructure, Ilima Letsema for food security and Siyazondla young people are supported “concluded Manitshana
Agricultural graduates are also placed in commercial farms for a 24 months period and are encourage to finish the two years with a business plan were they are able to start their own business.
Siyabulela Zondani from NYDA and Zungu Mene from DEDEAT also shared the support they provide and how young people can access the information.
Key challenges raised by the youth
- Land ownership
- Assistance in filling the application forms for funding
Replying on behalf of young people in the region Thulethu Nombona , appreciated the opportunity that has been given to them.
He promised that they will spread the word to those who were not able to attend, she also added that “as young people were are capable of making this sector fashionable and we are going to do our best with the opportunities given to us”
by Olwetu Batyi | Jun 25, 2021 | atp1
MEC Pieters calls for diverse farming in Eastern Cape
AMID the promising international trade channels that government is aggressively unlocking, MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nonkqubela Pieters encourages local farmers to broaden their scope of production and venture into the uncharted commodities.
With Eastern Cape known as the livestock capital in South Africa; wool, mohair and grain are among the commodities that have become the flagship of the province’s farming sector, including citrus.
To ensure continuous trade in almost every commodity, Pieters is calling on Eastern Cape farmers to be as diverse as possible in their farmlands so to create assortment even in investors and the market.
Putting action behind her words, this week Pieters crisscrossed the province visiting enterprises that trade in different commodities where she landed at the Port Alfred-based Lilac Holdings -Tilapia Fish farm.
Tilapia is the common umbrella name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish and according to co-owner of Lilac Holdings Tilapia Fish farm, Morena Khashane who is an aquaculturist, there has been a growing demand for the commodity both locally and nationally as a result of globalization and migration.
There are eight tunnels in the farm with each having two tanks inside that can accommodate a maximum of 15000 fish. Khashane and his two business partners started the business in 2019 with R5 million capital which they raised themselves. During their stint in the industry they have managed strike a deal with one of the country’s leading fish distributor.
“Pick n Pay is also one of our customers, including various fish and chips outlets in the province. But our greatest milestone so far has been supplying, Lake Harvest –a fish distributing company that operates in Gauteng but distributes across the country said Khashane.
The black-owned fish farm doesn’t breed its own fish at the present moment but buys finger links in Makhanda (Grahamstown) at a weight of about 2kg and grow them for a period of six months in their tanks under the recirculated water system.
However, as much as the demand for their produce is high, there are challenges that weigh the business down which Khashane shared with Pieters. Most of these are infrastructural.
“So far we have sold more than 30 000 fish and we can’t meet our customers’ demand because our infrastructure doesn’t allow us.
We are in a dire need of operating inputs. The business can take care of the rest of its needs because even the water we are using here is from our boreholes,” said Khashane.
The farm also assists the Ndlambe Local Municipality with water from its borehole.
With the international trade company, Al-Mawash showing interest in various locally produced food, great opportunities await Eastern Cape farmers in the industry.
by Olwetu Batyi | Jun 23, 2021 | atp1
Weather favours Sunday’s River Valley citrus growers
WHILE majority of farmers of various job commodities complain about the effects of the current climatic status which are largely contributed to global warming, citrus growers in the Sunday’s River Valley Local Municipality are singing a different tune.
The area has experienced less gust so far in the year compared to past years and citrus growers in the area have become the few if not the first producers in the farming sector to express delight and fulfilment in the current environmental conditions.
To them less blowing winds guarantee high quality yields with reduced leave marks on their fruits. Leave marks are caused when leaves and fruit rub together and at times bounce to each other from being blown by wind.
This is the story of Sikhula Sonke Enterprise that manager, Buyiswa Ndyenga expressed with a wide smile to MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nonkqubela Pieters.
After having led a harvesting session in the Upper Kat Citrus growers two weeks ago in the Amathole District, Pieters continued her tour to Kirkwood, Sarah Baartman District in a move solely aimed at developing the sector further. The developments mean improving farmworkers’ working conditions, catapulting new entrants and penetration of the market.
“Citrus, wool and mohair are some of the economic corridors in the area and while we explore other avenues, let’s continue to build a formidable sector in all respects. This means we need to be primary, secondary and tertiary producers so to add value in our resources. But in order for us to continue lifting the country’s flag high in the commodity (citrus) we need to work together and align our visions and plans,” said Pieters.
She said the government’s plan was to strengthen the already thriving sector by allowing new entrants opportunities to scale up and participate meaningfully in citrus production.
“The future belongs to the young and fresh. That is why even you as farmers keep planting new trees when the old ones can no longer bear fruits. It is that reason that even in the farming sector we want create a create a conducive environment that will allow young people to thrive in their province not elsewhere because our precious resource in the Eastern Cape is farmland,” she said.
Citrus producers in the Sunday’s River Valley Local Municipality are among the top employers with more 4000 workers.
Relaying their story as Sikhula Sonke Enterprise, Ndyenga said under the enterprise they have five farms. Four of the farms are leased from DRDAR and the growers bought a fifth farm from their profits to extend their orchards to 378ha.
Sikhula Sonke Enterprise employs 568 seasonal workers, 57 permanent staffers and 11 managers. The Willowtree Farm which Pieters joined the harvesters on the orchards employs 96 seasonal workers and 17 permanent workers.
The woman-led enterprise was established in 2007 and has 12 direct beneficiaries. Sikhula Sonke Enterprise has been working closely with the Sunday’s River Citrus Companies and DRDAR. From its inception, DRDAR aided Sikhula Sonke with tower spray machine (3000lt), citrus bins and production inputs while the Sunday’s River Citrus Companies provides technical support, upskilling of the beneficiaries and workers also production process of the fruit from planting of trees to packaging of the fruit.
Sikhula Sonke through SRCC sells their fruit in 32 countries across the globe including China, Russia, Middle East and
they benefit in the direct marketing and sales relationship of local retailers such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers and Woolworths.
Dyenga said this season’s harvest guarantees them high margins that could translate to more permanent jobs if the weather conditions continued to be in their favour.
by Olwetu Batyi | Jun 22, 2021 | atp1
Upper Kat citrus growers anticipate growth in citrus industry
THE Upper Kat citrus growers are foreseeing a tremendous growth in the citrus commodity as this industry is the economic driver in the area.
Upper Kat citrus growers yielded and marketed a total of 576114 cartons of fruit in the past season.
The group is made of 17 black growers and one white farmer within the Amathole District who grow their fruit on a 400ha piece of land and export a large chunk of it to international markets.
Last year they raked in a combined bottom line of R94 869 136 on both exports and local sales.
Today [June 12, 2021] MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nonkqubela Pieters led the citrus harvesting.
These farmers create jobs for more than 1000 locals with majority of the jobs being seasonal whilst the department placed young people(unemployed graduates)in some of these farms for experiential learning and mentorship in 2019/20 -20/21 paying market related stipend Pieters also engaged farmers on how her department can help them soar to greater heights.
“This area is known as the citrus belt of the province and it has great potential. Government alone can not create jobs but creates a conducive environment for businesses like yours to expand, create jobs and have a meaningful contribution in the country’s economy ” said Pieters.
Key challenges raised by farmers were infrastructure , title deeds and debts that were supposed to be written off but the progress is very slow.
Athol Trollip of South African Fruit Promoters who has been helping the farmers to secure funding after being rejected by banks as they don’t have title deeds said the Upper Kat citrus growers were on the right track ,their produce is of good quality and them getting title deeds will unlock all the bottlenecks in securing commercial funding.
“We are very grateful for the support that government continues to provide and we have also helped many of the farmers to secure loans so that they could purchase fresh trees as some of the farms had old trees that were no longer productive. The trees have now beard their first fruits and if this is replicated, the farmers will be able to produce more and finally break even. As we know the
demand for Vitamic C continues to rise under the covid 19 strain and the performance of the
industry is very good .In the next three years we expect our turnover to go from R96 million to R120 million,” said Trollip.
In response MEC Pieters committed that her department will liaise with National department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development through the Acting Head of Department, Mr Bongikaya Dayimani to speed up the process of title deeds and there will be further engagement with these farmers and other stakeholders that are active in the citrus commodity as close monitoring is essential to ensure that government realize the gains of the financial investments made.
Among the producers is 33 year old Siyabonga Ndzoyi of Gatyena Farm who operates on a 32. 578 ha farm with 16.9 ha under production exported 12 678 cartoons in 2020 and sold 1378 cartoons for local markets with more than R1 million in revenue.
He is also looking for more land so he can grow his production and create more jobs.
The farmers’ produce is prepared and packaged at the local Eden Agri Services pack house in Fort Beaufort before it is shipped to international markets.
