At the pineapple harvest day held in Amathole District Municipality, Peddie recently, Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane acknowledged the good work done by farmers in the pineapple farm in Peddie.
On the day of the occasion, Premier mentioned that Government is focused on operations, labour, and infrastructure in the sector. From the 2014/15 financial year the provincial government invested a total amount of R19.3 million in pineapple production. This money was for fencing, production inputs, labour, diesel, fencing material as well as labour for Bingqala, Pineco, Cornfields, Tarfield, Barthust & Benton farms.
We know that pineapple farms require tractors all the time for production, hence the Department of Rural Development & Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) invested in two brand new tractors that will be given to Tarfield farm to help with their production”
Through DRDAR we have also facilitated a market for pineapple farmers. The harvest from these farms is sold to Summerpride Foods through an off-take agreement that benefits farmers who now have a market for their produce and the buyer who has constant supply of quality pineapples. It gives us great joy to note the growth of yields in pineapple production here in Ngqushwa. Ithetha ukuthi lonto nibheka phambili, anixhentsi Premier said.
During the first harvest after the resumption of pineapple production in Ngqushwa, farmers recorded a 1 500 Tons yield, 2 300 Tons was recorded in 2020/21 FY, farmers are targeting to yield 3 000 Tons during in 2021 year harvest.
We have supported the farmers of this area by investing in their pineapple farms apha eNgqushwa: Bingqala Pineapple Cooperative, Cornfields Farm, Tarfield Farm, Benton Farm, Bathurst Farm and PINECO (Tainton farm). We are working with various partners to provide more support to farmers in our province. Through our Agriculture for Growth and Employment Programme we are taking forward the Agriculture Economic Transformation Strategy through partnerships with DFIs (Land Bank and IDC). Working together with the Land Bank, DAAR is establishing a R900 million (R300 million annually) Blended Fund over a period of three years” Premier mentioned.
The blended finance has a grant and loan portion, this is funding that will be available to farmers to expand their operations.
We have informed the IDC we need their funding support to improve the success rate of provincial applicants who apply for funds in national finance schemes, so that we commercialise agriculture, increase exports and create massive jobs in our province”.
Again, DRDAR has identified R450 million during the MTEF for this blended finance programme with the IDC.
The IDC is currently assessing three citrus projects that could form part of the four projects to be submitted for development. All these are in the Sundays River Valley in Sarah Baartman.
The pineapple industry also identified projects for development, with the intention to increase the area of production for black producers” he added.
Premier also commended work done by farmers that contributes immensely to the economy. Apha eMzantsi Afrika, ngamaphondo mabini ahamba phambili kwimveliso ye Pineapple, yiEastern Cape ne KZN. Eighty percent (80%) of the Cayenne pineapple that we produce in our country comes from our province, in areas such as Ngqushwa and is used for processing into juice and canned pineapple products. Xa usela i pineapple juice funeka uyazi usela isiselo esiveliswe kwisiqhamo esilinywe eEastern Cape, kwindawo ezifana nalapha eNgqushwa. It is therefore important that as government we drive the beneficiation programme that must benefit the people of Ngqushwa” he mentioned.
