Dutch take a shine to emerging Cape farmers
April 26, 2005 Edition 1
Provincial trade and investment promotion agency Wesgro says its recent trade mission to the Netherlands has opened doors for emerging black farmers.
Agriculture MEC Cobus Dowry led the mission, made up of a delegation of emerging farmers, most of whom are beneficiaries of the government's land reform programme.
The programme aims to increase the participation of black farmers in the agricultural sector.
Rishaad Hajee, Wesgro's portfolio manager for resource-based industries, said the aim of the mission was to open doors for first-time black farmers by introducing them to Dutch buyers of South African products. The farmers are involved in the fruit and vegetable, wine, cut flowers and essential oils sectors.
They have undergone extensive training and development through the SA Agri Academy's Export Readiness Programme.
Wesgro facilitated the meetings between the farmers and the Dutch importers. The Netherlands is the Western Cape's third largest export market. About 8% of Western Cape products, mainly food, are exported there annually.
Last year, Western Cape exports to the Netherlands increased by 4.3 % to R2.5 billion compared to 2003.
Hajee said the mission was beneficial to the farmers, who gained deeper insight into the export logistics that need to be considered in order to successfully export to the Netherlands.
Hajee added that Wesgro aims to lead more such missions to increase BEE participation in the export industry.
This mission was further supported by an agreement signed in December 2003 between the Department of Agriculture and the South African Netherlands Export Council, which binds the two countries to encouraging and facilitating two-way trade in the agricultural sector.
