Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
December 2011
d) Rooibos Tea: The volume of tea cultivated by the Nieuwoudtville project supported by the
Illima‐Letsema program has risen from 70 tons to more than 300 tons. The R54‐million
tea‐making factory in the town was completed in early 2011, adding 217 jobs to the 40
already created by the project.
e) Fruit: A host of vine‐fruit products are cultivated in the Northern Cape, including sundried
Thompson seedless raisins, dipped Orange River sultanas, golden sultanas, muscat raisins,
and monuca raisins. Approximately 80% of vine fruit grown in South Africa is exported,
primarily to Europe but also to Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Canada and the USA. The province
has more than 16 500 vines on 9 486 hectares and produces 44% of South Africa’s table
grapes. The provincial government intends boosting local economic development through
various projects. These include:
(i) Citrus production: an experienced operator is sought to partner with emerging
farmers in the Riemvasmaak region.
(ii) Pomegranate, black fig and citrus farming: an experienced partner is needed to
work with women farmers in the Onseepkans region.
(iii) Fruit for export: as part of the Majeakgoro project in Hartswater 70 % of the sultana
grapes grown in the Lower Orange River Region are used for vine‐fruit products.
There are some 1 250 sultana‐grape growers in the province producing three
sultana‐type grapes which rank among the best in the world: the Sultana Clone H5;
a new hybrid called Merbein Seedless, which has proved resistant to splitting after
rain; and the most popular type, the 143B.
f) New products: A number of supplementary products are being cultivated or harvested
from natural stocks, including:
(i) Known in Namaqualand as kougoed, and more formally as Sceletium tortuosum, the
succulent plant has been licensed by the Biodiversity Act and will be developed and
sold as Zembrin by local company HGH Pharmaceuticals and US company PL
Thomas.
(ii) The Northern Cape has several plants that have the potential to produce
commercial products. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has
developed a diet drug from the plant Hoodia (Ghaap).
(iii) Rose geranium essential oils are cultivated at Onseepkans, where the CSIR and the
National Department of Science and Technology (DST) have established an essential
oils plant. Good sunlight, well‐drained soils and irrigation water from the Orange
River make the cultivation of oils an attractive option in the chosen area. It is a
market with huge potential, with the industry growing by nearly 10% per annum.
F.1.3 FISHING AND MARICULTURE SECTOR
The Northern Cape coast is considered one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world with the
waters being unpolluted, nutrient‐rich and abundant in marine life. Port Nolloth is the hub of the
fishing industry on this stretch of the west coast. A number of changes has happened the last
number of years with increased quotes been awarded to land and process fish in the Northern
Cape. Stricter enforcement of quota rules, as from 1998, means that at least 65% of the catch,
which totals approximately 7 085 tons (mainly hake), are landed in the Northern Cape. This opens
up the possibility for more fish processing plants around the expanded harbour at Port Nolloth. A
growing mariculture industry with, among others, abalone being farmed for export to the Far East,
is being established in the region 49 .
49
http://www.southafrica.info/business/investing/opportunities/ncape.htm ‐ accessed on 15 August 2011.
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
126
Dennis Moss Partnership