Eastern Cape Business 2017 edition

OVERVIEW
Agriculture
Agriculture underpins several sectors of the economy of the Eastern Cape.
The Eastern Cape is well located for the cultivation of crops and animal
husbandry. The province encompasses all seven of South Africa’s
biomes, which means that practically every kind of crop or animal or
crop can be cultivated or raised on the province’s 169 580 square kilometres
of land. These include the wool-producing merino sheep and the
mohair-producing Angora goat which thrive in the dry interior and have
been a vital part of the national economy since 1789 and 1838 respectively.
The Eastern Cape has more livestock than any other South African
province, and produces a quarter of the nation’s milk with producers
tending to favour coastal areas such as the Eastern Cape.
Deciduous fruit (Langkloof), citrus fruit (Addo/Kirkwood) and
chicory (Alexandria) are important parts of the province’s agricultural
mix, but a feature of recent years has been towards diversification.
Land-usage patterns have changed. Parts of the Amathole and
Sarah Baartman districts that used to be sheep or pineapple farms
are now stocked with game and are geared towards the hunting and
tourist markets.
SECTOR INSIGHT
Wool sales earned a total of
R3.7-billion in 2015/16.
• The business rescue
of Magwa Tea Estate
could be an investment
opportunity.
• Communal farmers have
won a top wool award.
There are about 70 000 people
employed on commercial
farms across the Eastern Cape,
with a further 436 000 dependent
on smaller farms, mostly in
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