Limpopo Business 2016-17 edition

OVERVIEW
Agriculture
Limpopo’s avocadoes and macadamias are in big demand
throughout the northern hemisphere.
Some of South Africa’s biggest agricultural businesses are located
in Limpopo, with the province’s fruit and vegetables
forming a significant portion of the nation’s export offering.
This is particularly the case with regard to avocadoes,
mangoes, tomatoes and macadamia nuts, the last of which is a rapidly
expanding subsector.
About 1 000 new hectares are being planted every year, according
to the Southern African Macadamia Growers’ Association
(SAMAC), adding to the existing 19 000 hectares already under
macadamias.
The Kruger National Park was the venue for the 7th International
Macadamia Symposium in August 2015, an indicator of Limpopo’s
status. Production of nut-in-shell was nearly 5% up in 2015, at
46 950 tons. About 45% of the previous year’s crop was exported,
mostly to the USA and Europe. Growing conditions are ideal in the
Levubu and Tzaneen districts. Neighbouring Mpumalanga is the
other big macadamia province.
There are about 450 farmers growing the nuts, but this includes
several large farms, some of which have integrated operations in
which the farms supply their own cracking factories. There are 14
cracking factories in South Africa.
The sector employs about 4 500 people, of which 1 500 are
permanent employees.
The macadamia nut has high protein, calcium and potassium
content. Macadamia oil is popular and has a high Omega7 content.
Ground macadamias can be used as a healthy substitute for flour.
Location
Limpopo’s location gives it a strategic advantage in terms of providing
fresh produce to Gauteng, the densely urbanised economic
centre of South Africa.
Cattle and game ranching occur in the higher and drier areas of
the province, while the lower-lying regions are rich in fruit, tea, citrus
and vegetables. One of the best known products of the region is
Amarula cream liqueur.
SECTOR INSIGHT
Investment in citrus is paying
off.
• Two recently reopened
agricultural colleges have
increased enrolment.
• The Mooketsi Market’s
strategic position is
boosting trade in farm
produce.
• Limpopo hosted an international
macadamia
symposium in 2015.
• Fish for Iran may be a jobbooster.
Within Limpopo, the Mooketsi
Market has used its very central
position to boost trade in farming
produce. Although the town
itself is quite small, the market’s
location north-east of Polokwane
and north of Tzaneen, with access
to the northern reaches of
the province via the R36 and R81
roads, has proved a winner since
it opened in 2014. The market is
owned by ZZ2, FGX (which facilitates
transactions between buyers
and sellers) and the RSA Group
(which holds 30% representative
market share of the fresh produce
market in South Africa).
The Limpopo growers from
the Vhembe District in the far
north and the Letaba Valley in
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